Strong, healthy teeth help you chew the right foods which help you grow and stay active. Teeth also help you speak clearly and look your best. Taking care of your smile prevents plaque from growing. After you eat, sugar bugs go crazy over the sugar on your teeth, like ants at a picnic.
The sugar bugs turn the sugar into acids that eat away tooth enamel, causing holes called cavities. In addition to complications for your teeth and gums, research has linked periodontal disease to other health problems including heart complications, strokes, diabetes complications and respiratory issues. Good dental health is a combination of proper daily maintenance brushing and flossing along with regular visits to your dental care professional.
People with crooked teeth, misaligned jaws and other problems with their mouth can often benefit from orthodontic procedures, such as braces or other techniques to correct the problems. Your dental health professional can help you decide how to address the problems. Braces, once for adolescents only, can help people of all ages correct problems with their teeth and jaws. Not only do orthodontic procedures help your appearance, but they can also improve chewing and proper digestion of food along with some speech problems.
Regular visits to your dental health professional help you maintain healthy teeth, gums and mouth. What is dental care? Why dental care is important.
Dental care and other diseases. Find a Dentist. Skip to navigation Skip to Content. Contact Provider. Pay Bill. Refill Rx. Sign in - My Marshfield Clinic. Explore Marshfield Clinic. After you eat, the bacteria break down sugar on your teeth into acids that eat away tooth enamel, causing holes called cavities.
Plaque also causes gingivitis, which is gum disease that can make your gums red, swollen, and sore. To prevent cavities, you need to remove plaque. To do this, brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day. Brushing also stimulates the gums, which helps to keep them healthy and prevent gum disease. Brushing and flossing are the most important things that you can do to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Using anti-tartar toothpastes and mouthwashes, and spending extra time brushing the teeth near the salivary glands the inside of the lower front teeth and the outside of the upper back teeth may slow the development of new tartar.
If your teeth are sensitive to heat, cold, and pressure, you may want to try a special toothpaste for sensitive teeth. Dentists say you should brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes twice a day.
Here are some tips on how to brush properly:. Brushing is important but it won't remove the plaque and particles of food between your teeth and near the gumline. You'll need to floss these spaces at least once a day. Some toothpastes claim to whiten teeth. There's nothing wrong with using whitening toothpastes as long as they also contain fluoride and ingredients that fight plaque and tartar.
If you think your teeth aren't white enough, though, talk to your dentist before you try any over-the-counter whitening products. Some can irritate the gums and make teeth sensitive.
Your dentist might offer you professional treatment, which will be suited to your needs and work better than over-the-counter products. Eating sugar, as you probably already know, is a major cause of tooth decay. But it's not just how much sugar you eat — when and how you eat it can be just as important. If you eat sugary foods or drink sodas throughout the day, you give the bacteria in your mouth food. Well-fed bacteria make cavities more likely. Hard candies, cough drops, and breath mints that contain sugar are especially harmful because they dissolve slowly in your mouth.
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