Looking after your teeth – some tips

I love that phrase “smile and the whole world will smile with you“. A nice smile really is something we all strive for. I know for myself personally I have had a long journey to achieving my own perfect smile after years of avoiding photographs and not smiling. This has totally changed once I got my teeth straightened. I thought it would be useful to compile the tips I gleaned into one post as it might help others. Please do bear in mind, I am not a dentist, im simply sharing the information I gleaned on my own new smile journey. Always consultant a dentist or similar specialist if in doubt.

• Brush you teeth at least morning and evening and not aggressively or don’t over brush!
• Brush your tongue too! Yes this is actually a thing – see healtline for more on this.
• Use a good quality fluoride toothpaste and mouth wash. Over the years there has been debate about fluoride both good and bad however the American Dental Association  advocates its usefulness in terms of teeth and gum health and in fighting cavities.
• Floss….do not underestimate the importance of flossing, even for younger kids too. Get them into good habit of regular flossing
• Avoid smoking, too much caffeine and limit sugar filled drinks and snacks
•  Try to limit acid based foods that could potentially damage enamel
• Aim to visit your dentist for a check up at least once a year and one thing I try to do is take my kids to get them into good oral hygiene practice
  

  Pic Credit: Pixabay

• Some dentists will advocate the chewing of sugarless gums to aid with the rebuilding of enamel
• If like me you need some assistance from the experts to straighten and whiten teeth have a look at a reputable dentist in your by putting something like “dentist Peterborough”  into your chosen search engine. There is nothing wrong with seeking cosmetic assistance in this area. In fact hand on heart seeking assistance in the form of cosmetic dentistry has changed my life.
• One of the things I did look into as an alternative to braces was veneers. I did decide it wasn’t for me however in terms what I learned, I though it might be useful to share that here in case it will help somebody.  In summary, the dentist drills the tooth an then bonds a porcelain cap to the tooth. I recall the dentist who I discussed this with saying it would take approximately 2 weeks to complete the process. I do love the look of the celebrity style perfectly white, straight teeth however the fear of the drill and the caps was too much!

I think from here on in my plan is prevention is better than cure. I do make a conscious effort to take good care of my teeth as naturally as we get older the enamel begins to wear and the more yellow dentine will show through and unfortunately no amount of bleaching or whitening can rectify this.  By taking on board some of the tips above hopefully his might help.  However as I said above I am not expert merely sharing what I learned over the years.

Note: This is a collaborative post