Beautiful Smile – 11 tips

One of the very first things a person looks at is your smile. Beautiful and clear smile wins friends and makes positive impression. Here are 11 tips for keeping your smile beautiful.

Tea: Black and green teas contain polyphenols, antioxidant that prevent plaque from sticking to your teeth. Less plaque means less chances of developing cavities and gum disease. Tea also has potential for reducing bad breath because it works against the growth of the bacteria that cause the odor.

Use a straw: Limit soft drinks. Soft drinks and juices contain acids (such as citric acid) that can erode tooth enamel. When you go for soft drinks or artificial juices, use a straw. By using a straw, you limit the contact between your teeth and the acid, thereby protecting the teeth from the acidic drinks.

Calcium: Include calcium-rich cheese, milk, and yogurt in your diet. They help in strengthening the jaw’s alveolar bone, which helps hold your teeth in place. The recommended amount is 1,000 mg per day for women younger than 50 and 1,200 mg for those older.

The power of vitamin C: Vitamin C is the cement that holds all of your cells together. It is vital for your skin. It is important for the health of your gum tissue. Research has shown that people who are low on Vitamin C are 25 per cent more likely to suffer from gum diseases. Oranges and lemon are high on Vitamin C. Include them in your food.

Things to avoid: Tobacco is the top tooth stainer. Smoking, chewing betel leaf, betel nut discolor the teeth. Avoid excessive tea or coffee as they stain the teeth. Do not scrape the surface of teeth as these will roughen the teeth and make them even more yellow.

Avoid extremes: Avoid drinking very hot or cold beverages. Very hot coffee and ice tea change the temperature of your teeth. This temperature cycling causes teeth to expand and contract, allowing stains to penetrate the tooth enamel.

Eat slowly and chew more: Eating slowly and chewing your food properly produces the proper amount of saliva that helps wash away food particles.

Brush twice: Brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes. Clean your tongue, gums as well.

Toothbrush: Every six weeks, Change your toothbrush. Worn bristles can cause damage to your teeth and gums, they become less effective and old toothbrushes make great homes for bacteria.

Add a crunch: Crunchy veggies like celery or carrots are abrasive enough to help scrape away food particles and plaque.

Cheese: Have a piece of Cheese when you can’t brush after sugary drink or sweets. Research shows that eating cheese can help reduce cavities, by neutralizing tooth-damaging acid.

Keeping schedule of regular dental examination is very important not only for your teeth, but also your health. The dentist can spot many potential health problems from the oral examination.