How to protect teeth from harmful decay, starting from infancy.
Often we spend time on grooming but neglect having proper care of our teeth. I know of many successful men and women who have reached the height of success and have terrible teeth or periodontal problems. Our first teeth are primary teeth, there are twenty by age 2 and ½ our second set of teeth are called permanent which we have all our life. They grow from 6 years old and generally are finished by age l8 to 25 there are 32 in all. It is important to give care to primary teeth as well as the permanent teeth. Start with our children to maintain good health habits after giving your baby a bottle take a 2 by 2 gauze and gently wipe the gums. This will keep the sugar from pooling and avoid the bacteria a chance to build up. It is; also important to avoid putting baby to sleep with a bottle especially one filled with apple juice or sweet juice. If a baby will not sleep without his bottle, fill it with water. The reason being to prevent bottle rot, which can be a severe problem in children and can cause discomfort as well as affect the permanent teeth.
Sugary snacks and soda as well as sugar coated cereals are also to be avoided. If a child is too young to use a toothbrush and does not handle it well take the time to do it for the child a very little care will pay in the long run. Regular visits to the dentist should be encouraged.
We come to the permanent teeth. If neglected to keep our teeth clean and healthy there will be tooth decay, bleeding gums yellow teeth and bad breath. Bacteria grow in the mouth around the gums and are the cause of dental plaque making acid that attack the teeth and gums.
The crown is the part of the tooth we see, the root is in the jawbone and hold the teeth firm and steady. There are three layers, the enamel covers the crown, the second is dentin and the third is the pulp that has the nerve ending and blood supply.
Brushing the teeth twice daily is essential. If one has had a cold or is ill when the cold has passed discard that brush and use a new one. Keep your toothbrush in a clean dry place get a new one before the brush is worn. Flossing is another part of keeping the gums healthy. If the gums are attacked the teeth will loosen and fall out. Dentures then become a necessary evil.
Even a beautiful woman without teeth will quickly age her appearance. The teeth keep the shape of the jawline but without teeth the jaw will sag. If we loose our teeth and dentures are needed the gums continually shrink and therefore visits to the dentist are a must to correct the poor fitting dentures. If they are lose it will be uncomfortable as well as affect our speech. Not enough can be said about the care of teeth and include good healthful foods such as yogurt, milk cheese and vitamin c. With proper care and dental visits we will surely keep our teeth in good condition for as long as we need them.
