Cavities can be harmful to health. How so, you may ask? That is because teeth can become inflamed, which could lead to other symptoms. Therefore, it is essential to take good care of your dental health.
But what else damages teeth?
Dental trauma, chewing pencils (or pens), lip piercings, incorrect brushing techniques, a hard toothbrush, grinding, periodontal diseases, smoking, snus, eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, reflux disease, etc.) and so on.
Here are some recommendations to maintain dental health.
Nutrition
- Eat nutritious breakfasts in order to avoid excessive snacking.
- Take healthy snacks to school.
- Drink water. Take a water bottle to school and the gym.
- Do not eat after brushing your teeth in the evening. Drink only plain water.
Brushing teeth
- Brush your teeth for 2-3 minutes in the morning and evening. How long do you actually brush your teeth for? Take your time!
- Brushing your teeth is more fun if you listen to a song that is 2-3 minutes long.
- Brush your teeth systematically: start with the outer sides of your upper teeth, then move on to the inner sides and lastly, brush the occlusal surfaces. Brush your back teeth first and then your front teeth.
- Choose a toothbrush with soft or very soft bristles. Soft bristles do not damage the gums or teeth and are more flexible (they get to spots that are harder to reach).
- An electric toothbrush is more efficient than a regular toothbrush (its average speed is 2000 strokes per minute).
- Replace your toothbrush approximately every three months.
- Toothbrushes cannot reach between the teeth – use dental floss!
- Use toothpaste sparingly – a pea-sized amount is enough.
- To finish brushing, spit out the toothpaste and excess saliva. Do not rinse, leave the toothpaste to work. It will make your teeth stronger.
Exercise
- Prefer water when working out. Sports drinks are acidic and contain a lot of sugar. Frequent consumption of sports drinks causes cavities and the teeth wear down quickly. Constant consumption of sports drinks during exercise is much more harmful than if you drank it all in one go after the workout. After a sports drink, rinse your mouth with water to restore the neutral pH in your mouth.
- If you do contact or extreme sports, use a mouth guard.
Visit the dentist every year.
Written by the youth information portal Teeviit on the basis of Suukool (‘Mouth School’) www.suukool.ee.
Published in the youth information portal Teeviit in 2018.
