Good Dental Health

Brushing and flossing are the most important things you can do for your teeth, but what you eat counts, too. People have only a single set of permanent teeth, so they have to take good care of them in order to keep them for a long time. Maintaining good dental health is possible if you regularly visit your dentist in order to prevent any serious dental problems. Even so sometimes emergencies arise regardless of our efforts and they require instant treatment.

Teeth play a very important role in the general health and well-being of an individual. If you have healthy teeth, you will be able to chew well and even speak well. Thus, oral health should be a main concern for an individual from childhood. By developing nutritious habits from the period, you are young, you can relish a life-long smile. There are a number of things you need to do in order to maintain your teeth in good shape.

Several factors contribute to your oral health right from good oral care to diet, medications and general health. The consequences are not limited to just toothache and cavities, it can also lead to yellowing of the teeth, bad breath, bleeding gums, tooth loss and a host of other problems like unclear speech and bite problems. Dental problems can also arise due to injury and ignoring them can further worsen the situation.

To protect your pearly whites, zero in on enemy number one: the acid in your diet. Acidic foods like citrus fruits and soft drinks may be obvious sources, but any time you eat something sugary or starchy -- pretzels, cookies, candy, bread-- the sugars react with bacterial plaque to form enamel-eroding acid. When enamel breaks down, your teeth can become discolored, sensitive and prone to decay -- and that doesn’t look or feel good.

Luckily, there are also foods that help neutralize acids, stimulate saliva and even repair tooth enamel. So just eat your way to a healthier smile.