Are your teeth better than an addict’s?
In a recent controversial study posted by General Dentistry, evidence has led professionals to believe that those with poor dental habits who routinely overindulge in drinking diet soda have severely deteriorated dental health, comparable to methamphetamine or crack cocaine addicts. This conclusion has been disputed by multiple professionals, but the bottom line is that high levels of acidity found in diet soda can wreak a lot of havoc on enamel.
A main factor that contributes to this problem is that people are regularly conditioned to think that diet soda doesn’t contribute to weight gain, it doesn’t cause any complications at all. Another misconception is that sugar is the primary contributor to compromised oral health, and therefore, because diet sodas do not contain sugar, they do not have detrimental ingredients. However, this isn’t the case, because the components of diet beverages can increase levels of decay in your teeth.
Regardless of if this study proved to be a fair comparison, it’s important to keep in mind that dental hygiene, rather than beverage intake, is the most effective tool to combat decay. If you sip diet soda throughout the day, don’t hold it in your mouth before ingesting the liquid, as this will increase your chances of harboring harmful bacteria. Try to rinse quickly with water after each sugary or diet drink. Chewing sugar-free gum that contains xylitol helps as well, as it increases the flow of saliva, a natural enamel-protector created by your body. And most importantly, don’t forget to brush and floss regularly in addition to attending your general dentistry appointments as scheduled.
Don’t forget that the number one sugar-free and zero-calorie beverage for you is water, the body’s natural fuel.
Armed with some information, though, you can have a fun summer while maintaining beautiful and healthy teeth.
Here’s a brief list of everyday teeth cheats, or simple habits you should adopt to increase the lifetime of your teeth. These little rituals are easy to fit into anyone’s daily routine, and can really save you extensive time (and money) that may otherwise be spent on tooth repairs and restorations.
How much do you think you influence your little one? If you think the answer is “Not much,” guess again. According to a study published by the Journal of Dental Research, parents have an enormous amount of influence on their children, and that extends to areas of health and wellbeing. The study found that if a mother had a cavity, her child was twice as likely as other children to also have a cavity.
When asked to come up with a list of foods that dentists hate, gum will almost certainly appears in your top five. After all, this sticky, chewy candy can leave your jaw sore and work its way into tricky places in your smile – not to mention that it’s a natural enemy of traditional braces. But have you heard that the treat can actually improve the health of your teeth and gums instead of hurting them? It’s true! The American Dental Association has officially recognized that specific types of sugarless chewing gum have been scientifically proven to bolster optimal dental health.
building blocks for any healthy lifestyle, but they can significantly lower the possibility of many diseases. As always, regular brushing, flossing, and other beneficial dental care are your best tools for preventing the development of many diseases, and can aid in the fight against cancer. If you are already affected by oral cancer, this information may also help during your treatment and after.
Now that we’re heading into warmer weather, people are likely to spend more time outdoors doing a variety of activities, including sports. Taking advantage of the higher temperatures to get some exercise and to spend time with friends is a good thing, of course, but athletes should keep a few pointers in mind related to their oral health.
The health benefits of weight loss are many. Being overweight can contribute to heart disease, heart attack, joint pain, and diabetes. And now, research shows that being overweight can put you at risk for another type of health problem: gum disease. You may not connect your weight with your oral health, but the truth is that your smile can benefit from you maintaining a healthy weight.
Flossing is a crucial part of dental hygiene, and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly; after all, it’s a tried-and-true method for getting rid of stubborn food particles that settle in hard-to-reach places between teeth, as well as an effective way to disrupt cavity-causing bacteria and keep them getting too comfortable. Of course, you might be thinking: how hard is it to drag some string between your teeth? Harder than you might think. Countless people make casual errors every day when flossing, and while it might not seem like a big deal at the time, you could find yourself in need of fillings or other restorative dental work before you know it. Here are five common mistakes that are made during flossing that you should watch out for:
Choose cheese for your next sandwich ingredient or salad-topper! As a child, everyone has heard parents and other adults lecturing on the importance of eating vegetables and drinking milk to grow up big and strong. But did you know that eating certain types of cheese at any age can also help you stay healthy?