The human mouth is a breading ground for germs, viruses and bacteria. Our bodies try their best to fight off these unwelcome invaders and most of the time they’re successful.

However, the least you can do is give your body a helping hand to keep your mouth clean and healthy…

Only fools fail to floss
The importance of flossing cannot be overstated. Without flossing you will leave over a third of your teeth uncleaned. That’s a great big area for bacteria to grow and decay to develop. But despite this millions of women in the UK don’t include it as part of their oral hygiene regime.

Chew that gum
Chewing sugar free gum in moderation increases levels of saliva in the mouth which is the body’s natural defence against germs and bacteria.

Dentists are your friend
Your dentist is absolutely crucial to maintaining a healthy mouth. Not only will he keep you teeth in tip-top condition but he can also help detect diseases of the mouth at a very early stage.

Tools
If your toothbrush is beginning to look a little rough around the edges it will be already reducing the effectiveness of your brushing. Failing to replace your toothbrush regularly is an open invitation to plaque and decay.

Eat
The food you eat is vital to the health of every part of your body and the mouth is no exception. For strong teeth you should ensure your calcium intake is above the recommended daily level. Eating raw foods such as celery and carrots is also hugely beneficial as it increases salivation which, as previously mentioned, is one of your mouth’s main weapons in the fight against germs and bacteria.

a/ You should be brushing at least two or three times a day. Brushing your teeth is one of the most effective ways for removing plaque from the exposed surfaces of your teeth. Contrary to what you might think, a gentle brushing with a soft-bristle toothbrush is just more effective than a vigorous scrubbing with a stiff-bristle toothbrush.

b/ You have to brush your teeth within an hour of eating or drinking anything that may stain them.

c/ You also need to remember to have dental cleanings at least once a year.

d/ Brush your teeth for 3 minutes. Brushing must be a 2-3 minutes activity with special care to clean on the inside surfaces of the teeth. Using a fluoridated tooth paste is recommended.

e/ When you brush, position the head of the toothbrush toward your gums at a 45 degree angle. Move the brush back and forth gently in short strokes. In the same gentle back and forth motions, brush the outside areas of your upper and lower front teeth. Then brush the biting (chewing) surfaces and the inside (the side facing your tongue) of your upper and lower back teeth. The next step is to brush the inside areas (the side facing your tongue) of your upper and lower front teeth with the tip of the brush using gentle up and down strokes. In the end brush your tongue. This will fresh your breath and remove bacteria.

f/ Floss daily. Brushing alone isn’t enough to clean all of the plaque from the surface of your teeth. Interproximal areas (those places in between your teeth) are spots where the toothbrush can’t reach and plaque can build up. These are areas that are more susceptible to cavities.

g/ Use your teeth only for chewing food (cracking nut shells, chewing pen caps and tearing off clothing tags can crack enamel, dislodge fillings or loosen teeth).

h/ Another simple tip to make your teeth a topic of envy among others, is to eat sugarcane daily.

i/ Change your toothbrush every three months.

Some remedies for yellow teeth:

- Rub the white part of an orange peel along your teeth.

- Brush your teeth with baking soda.

- Using a Q-Tip, dab hydrogen peroxide onto the surface of your teeth, being careful to avoid your gums or you might have irritation.

- Strawberry pulp is supposed to have a natural bleaching effect, and it tastes better than baking soda.

- Salt can be used to brush your teeth. You can also try mixing salt, baking soda and water together. But be careful, because the salt is very abrasive and could cause mouth pain and weakened enamel.

- Rinse your mouth with a vinegar/water solution. Use white vinegar instead of the red vinegar.

- For yellowish teeth treatment, you can also rub together a mixture of turmeric powder, powdered salt and lime juice on it. Repeating this process for about 15-16 days will bring back the natural glow.

- Drink white wine and light spirits as vodka, instead of red wine, rum or whisky.

- Eat white meat instead of red meat.

- Prepare white sauces instead of dark sauces.

- Drink white grape fruit instead of purple grapefruit.

- Have vanilla ice cream instead of chocolate ice cream.

Here, some cleansing foods for teeth:

Vegetables and fresh fruits like orange, melon, pineapple, pear, tangerine, grapefruit, canned fruits, natural fruit and vegetable juices, carrots, cucumber, broccoli, celery and tomatoes can help you naturally clean your teeth. Grains and some bakery like sugar free cereals, butter free popcorn, bread and cookies are other solution which makes our teeth look healthier and brighter. Milk and milk products (skimmed milk, skimmed yogurt and fat free cheese) as well. Meat, seeds and pizza also do not harm the color of our teeth. Chicken, turkey, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and nuts are good cleansing foods. Follow these nutritional tips for white teeth and will not suffer yellow teeth.

Dental myths about teeth

- White teeth are healthier teeth

We might think they look pretty, but many specialists say that teeth aren’t meant to be pure white. You can help to keep your teeth as white as possible by brushing regularly with a fluoride toothpaste and flossing. Avoiding food and drinks which can stain teeth, such as tea, coffee and red wine, will also help to keep them white.

- I have to see a dentist every six months

It depends on your oral health. Usually the dentist recommends how often you should come in for check-ups.

- Bad breath is only caused by not brushing your teeth properly.

In fact, 85-90% of bad breath also called halitosis is caused by bad oral hygiene. But smoking, certain foods and, rarely, an underlying disease can also make our breath smell bad. Regular brushing, flossing, eating and drinking healthily and taking plenty of exercise are the best route to sweet-smelling breath.

A tooth or a set of them are kept firm in their place with the gums. Apart from brushing them properly you must massage your teeth every day morning with a mixture of mustard oil and common salt. Just take a little of salt. add a few drops of the oil. rub them to a fine paste.

Now apply this paste on your teeth and gums and keep spitting the saliva thus oozing out. Never take saliva in. Do so for two minutes and you will find your teeth becoming stronger and stronger.

Before you try something more drastic, give these simple little tips a try. You might find that your teeth are white than you ever imagined.

• Brush teeth after every meal. You would be amazed at how many people think that once a day is enough.
• Use baking soda twice a month to help remove any stains buildup. This advice is straight from my dentist.
• Keep an eye on your toothbrush. It can’t do its job if it is worn out. It might sound obvious, but you have no idea how many people hold on to the same old brush. If you think about it, it is almost impossible to brush away film that hides your white teeth, with a brush that has worn out bristles.
• Lemon peel massaged over the teeth is often used for whitening. Rinse thoroughly.
• Avoid smoking. This is one of the quickest ways of turning white teeth yellow.
• Floss at least once a day. Stains can easily form between teeth.
• Avoid coffee and red wine as much as possible. Both will quickly stain your teeth.
• Keep an eye on your toothbrush. It can’t do its job if it is worn out. It might sound obvious, but you have no idea how many people hold on to the same old brush. If you think about it, it is almost impossible to brush away film that hides your white teeth, with a brush that has worn out bristles.
• Strawberries have a natural bleaching effect and are loaded with Vitamin C, so you simply can’t lose. Rub the pulp over your teeth and then rinse.
• Have your teeth professionally cleaned once a year. Your teeth will feel so much cleaner. Makes you wonder about the rest of the time.

Some useful tips for teeth and tooth whitening

Your sparklers add immense charms to your facial beauty. Whenever you talk or smile. it is your teeth that are exposed when they are dirty or uncared. your whole facial charm would be ruined. Not only your teeth should be firm they should be white and shinning.

Most of the house-ladies are found wanting about Cleaning their teeth properly. In the morning due to heavy pressure and in the night due to day long stress they have suffered and hence in the impatience to retire to the cozy comfort of the bed. they generally brush their teeth indifferently. This callousness, if continued for long concerning the teeth care. often results in their teeth remaining dirty and their breath full of foul odor.

If you want to keep your teeth sparkling and firm. consume less and less of sweets. chocolates etc. Even when you eat them. brush your teeth immediately. Also. stop eating ‘Pan-Masala’ if you are addicted to it.

Now, in the latest bit of research, mothers who were pregnant with babies who were born between June and October had children who, when studied at the age of 9 years, were taller and had wider bones than those born in the darker months.

The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) –  which is also known as Children of the 90’s – is a long-term health research project based at the University of Bristol, England. All of the more than 14,000 Children of the 90’s were born during 1991 and 1992, and their health and development have been followed in great detail ever since.

Originally, all of the ALSPAC families lived in England around Bristol and Bath. Now, some live as far away as Kenya, Brazil and Australia, but they remain in the study.

The families have provided answers about a wide range of health issues such as the benefits of eating fish during pregnancy, peanut allergy, eczema, and childhood ear infections. You can find a list of research findings here.

Based on this latest study, and consistent with my previous posts, pregnant women and children would do well to go outside in the sun, without sunscreens for 15 minutes a day.

Jon Tobias of Bristol University, and a lead researcher on the ALSPAC project, said “Wider bones are thought to be stronger and less prone to breaking as a result of osteoporosis inlater life, so anything that affects early bone development is significant. Pregnant women might consider talking to their doctor about taking Vitamin D supplement, particularly if their babies are due between November and May, when sunlight levels are low.”

What woman hasn’t heard those words? Do you hide behind the camera so you don’t have to show those pearly whites – or not so whites? If you have ever been frustrated with your teeth, it’s time to investigate the options for teeth whitening.

Knowing what your options are will empower you to show that pretty grin.

The most difficult of teeth whitening tip for me was to cut back on the coffee. And tea. And red wine. Drinking things that discolor your teeth put any whitening system you choose into overtime work. While you can defeat these stains, it’s easier to eliminate them from the diet.

Teeth whitening toothpastes are available from any retailer. These work by using mild abrasives to clean your teeth. Some brands have chemical agents that work to remove stains. These toothpastes remove only the surface stains by using hydrogen peroxide. Some products help to remove deeper stains. I have actually used peroxide to gargle with – and it does whiten my teeth. It does not have that pleasant, mint taste of toothpaste, however.

If you still aren’t seeing adequate results with the toothpaste products, try some of the over the counter strips and gels. Also peroxide based, these gel products are applied directly to the tooth’s surface two times a day. The treatment lasts 14 days. It should last for several months after treatment.

If you are still not seeing success, try visiting your dentist. In office bleaching is definitely the fastest and most efficient way to get your teeth white. During this treatment, the dentist with apply the whitening product in conjunction with heat, a special light and a laser. The light is used to spped up the whitening process.

Unlike over the counter treatments, results appear in one treatment (usually a 30-60 minute procedure). While you may need multiple appointments for the most dramatic results, many people are thrilled with one treatment.

So, now that you have decided to whiten your teeth, how long can you expect results to last? This depends on a lot of factors. As mentioned earlier, if you can avoid trigger foods that stain your teeth, you might be able to go a whole year. If you expose your teeth to bad foods and drinks, it could be reversed in one month.

Your individual degree of whiteness will vary also, depending on your teeth’s condition, the types of staining, and how long and what type of bleaching system has been used. Over the counter products have a lower strength agent (about 3% peroxide), while some dentist offices use products that have up to 43%.

When starting a teeth whitening regime, set realistic expectations. Even though you will see visible results, your teeth will probably not be a blinding white. The more treatments, the better your success, however.

Who shouldn’t go through teeth whitening? If you are experiencing any of the following conditions, consult with a dentist prior to treatment:

Children under the age of sixteen: The nerve of the tooth is enlarged until this age, and whitening can irritate it.

Pregnant or nursing mothers are advised against whitening teeth. Pregnancy will often cause delicate teeth without offering any chemicals.

Sensitive teeth and those with allergies (particularly to peroxide) should not use a bleaching system.

Gum disease, cavities and worn enamel should not use a whitening product until the teeth have been treating. The whitening systems will penetrate the decay and cause more sensitivity.

Exposed roots of the tooth do not have an enamel layer, so the whitening agents will not work.

Fillings and crowns are made with composite materials that won’t whiten. If you whiten your teeth after having them matched, you will get a poor match when only part of your teeth whiten.

While it can be a bit of an investment in getting that beautiful smile you have always wanted, a woman’s smile can give her more confidence. Being able to grin and laugh at home and work will enhance every aspect of a woman’s life.

Start with the simple steps to getting your teeth whiter. Depending on your age, the severity of your stains, the condition of your teeth, and your diet (and maybe a little bit of heredity), you can work towards finding the most cost effective way to get your teeth white.

Work towards the more involved processes. Personally I’d rather go to the dentist once than try to keep strips on my teeth for 30 minutes twice a day, but some people are much more patient that I am.

Best of luck, and now “Smile!”.

A one year old child is likely to have 8 little chompers – some will have more, some less (hey, it is only an average,it does not mean anything!)

Although these are milk teeth (or deciduous teeth) – which means that at some point they will be substituted by adult teeth, this does not mean that these teeth should not be well cared for. In fact it is very important to look after these teeth.

In fact, should the baby teeth go bad and fall out before nature demands then they can have knock-on effects on the adult teeth. The positioning of the adult teeth is dependent on the milk tooth – no milk tooth to guide the new teeth can lead to uneven or bad positioning. Even the final, adult, shape of the jawbone is dependent on the healthy development of teeth.

And of course there is the simple idea of teaching kids about caring for their teeth – getting them into good habits. By the age of three, maybe four, kids should be contributing to their own tooth brushing, though it is smart to continue the supervision until they are about seven to ensure they continue to care properly for their teeth.

So how early should you start with the brushing? As soon as the teeth start showing is the answer. You will have seen the special baby toothpaste, so use this. On very little babies it is more practical to use a tiny amount of the paste on a clean piece of gauze that you wrap round your finger. Clean their teeth and gums with this. There are also baby toothbrushes available.

What other things should you do?

Even though it is unlikely that toddlers and babies will have serious tooth problems, it is good practice to start the dental visits. It is good for their teeth and also good for them to visit their dental practitioner when they need no work. It is not hard to imagine the negative effect on the mental health of waiting for the first visit until some painful work is needed!

Keeping with the theme of good habit making, steer babies and young children away from candies, drinks and treats that are filled with sugar. And think about this – if you fill a baby drinking bottle with sugary soft drinks it will be like soaking their little teeth in the liquid.

Teach your kids some good dental habits when they are young and they will thank you for it as adults.