Concerned about fitness, we maintain our health by way of yoga, gym workouts and various exercises, but often we tend to forget our teeth! Caring for those 32 little soldiers is crucial. And it’s not just brushing the teeth twice a day. In the extended time between the cleansing, care needs to be taken to curb the evils of teeth decay.

Decaying of teeth is caused by acid-producing bacteria in some foods which erode the surface of the tooth. And since dental troubles are not experienced instantly, but after long periods of continuous destruction, it’s of paramount importance to prevent the degeneration of dental health.

Here are some tips to counter tooth maladies:

Ideal Way of Brushing:

Many harmful dental diseases can be prevented at the primitive stage itself by regular and correct brushing. For a healthy, shiny set of teeth:

1. Brush gently the outer and inner surfaces of the teeth in an up-to-down pattern. Incline the toothbrush at an angle of 45 degrees to clean-up various corners and most importantly, the junction of the gums and the tooth as this area is most prone to bacterial attack.
2. Sweep the roof of the mouth and tongue in the forward direction. Cleansing these areas is quite necessary as they are breeding grounds for bacteria.
3. At least spend 2-3 minutes brushing your teeth. Do not brush in haste.
4. Change the toothbrush every 3-4 months as bristles of the brush hold germs from the teeth and also the bristles get worn out by then. It is advisable that children use brushes with softer bristles.

Healthy Food Habits:

The food we have has a direct effect on our teeth. Certain tips that can help us are:

1. Eat more crunchy vegetables and fruits like apples, pears, etc. as they have high water content which dilutes the effects of sugars and terminates decay. Occasional consumption of citrus foods like oranges and gooseberries (amla) is beneficial. Also, minimise intake of soft drinks as they have high sugar content and foods that stick to teeth like chocolates, biscuits, wafers etc.
2. Salt has a lot of antiseptic properties. But using salt as-is proves to be harmful as it causes tooth enamel decay. However, warm salt water is the best mouthwash. Gargling with warm salt water after every meal ensures that food substances still on the periphery of the teeth are washed out.

Timely Visits to the Dentist:

What we can take care of is prevention of dental problems but experts can make out if something is wrong. Timely check-ups should be done in order to spot and nip any potential problem in its bud state.

Regular cleansing of teeth followed by healthy food habits and timely visits to the dentist shall definitely help you in smiling your way through good dental health.

-Hridayarpit Dhaval Mehta