Why should you learn about parts of a tooth? Teeth are more than just a part of your mouth. Your teeth affect how you eat, speak, and smile. Having healthy teeth is one of the most important things you can do for yourself because it affects so many different aspects of your life.
In this blog post, we will discuss personal dental care tips that will help keep your teeth looking great and healthy for a lifetime!
Personal Dental Care: How To Have Teeth For A Lifetime
Thanks to better in-office dental treatments and at-home care, more people find it easier to manage their personal dental care.
Although there are some conditions and diseases that can facilitate tooth loss, the products and technology today give people more control to help keep their original teeth until they get old.
Dental History
When we talk about dental care many people think about that trip to the dentists every 6 months. You DO go to the dentist regularly don’t you? OK, many of us don’t because of the time involved or expense. The second best way to protect your teeth is to follow a regular dental care regimen at home.
This would include not only brushing your teeth with a quality toothbrush but also using some type of dentifrice or toothpaste and regular use of dental floss. Flossing is probably the least used but most effective way to clean areas of your teeth that cannot be reached with brushing alone.
Toothpaste is a paste used, almost always in conjunction with a toothbrush, to clean teeth. Good oral hygiene demands consistent brushing on a daily basis preferably after each meal.
The first reference to toothpaste was found believe it or not in Egyptian writings. Toothpaste back then was probably a mixture of spices like sale and peppermint and probably some herbs. Although not exactly our idea of good tasting, it was most likely very effective for keeping down the decaying food particles and was considered good basic dental care of the day.
In the late 1800’s, toothpaste and dental care become a growth industry for many smaller companies. Oral hygiene of the day was a mixture of chalk and various salts designed more as an abrasive to scrape off plaque than making your mouth clean.
Toothpaste Evolution
We now know that these types of toothpaste or powders actually damaged teeth because of the abrasive nature of the ingredients. The abrasiveness scraped and damaged the enamel coating that protected teeth and left them more vulnerable to decay and plaque build-up.
By 1900, baking soda made its way into commercial toothpaste products along with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide solution. This was probably the very beginnings of teeth whitening products for the mass market. Although actual tooth cleaning pastes were first marketed in the 19th century, it was not very popular until the mid 1900’s.
The Colgate & Company manufactured toothpaste in the first collapsible tube, similar to the tubes we use today. These were actually the first products that had the basic compounds to brighten and whiten teeth. Hydrogen peroxide, although in higher concentrations is being used today to remove staining and whiten teeth.
Although tooth powders, a pre cursor product to toothpaste didn’t show up on the market until this time, it wasn’t until mid 1950-1960 that modern toothpaste that we recognize became the teeth cleaner of choice.
Fluoride started to be added to toothpaste in the 1950 and 1960s. Fluoride is still controversial due to the claimed “dangers” of anything chemical. Although fluoride is not good for people in large quantities, it’s a fact that as fluoride has been added to the nation’s water supply, the number of cavities in children has dropped dramatically. Of course, there’s little doubt that fluoride has been instrumental in lowering the number of dental cavities.
Like many shampoos, healthier ingredients (such as baking soda, pseudo-mouthwash etc) are often combined into base mixes of varying qualities and marketed as being beneficial.
Toothpaste is most commonly sold in flexible tubes, although one may also purchase it in hard plastic containers with pumps. Packages designed to stand straight up, so as to allow more of the toothpaste to be used, are a relatively recent innovation.
You only need a little toothpaste to get the job done, however. Remember that the toothpaste manufacturers have an interest in getting you to overuse their product, making more purchases likely. A pea-sized amount is more than enough to do a good job brushing your teeth.
Toothpaste comes in a variety of flavors, with those marketed to kids! Tasting like orange, cinnamon, and bubblegum. Taste has nothing to do with the quality of the product however but may get some people and children to brush longer. So for a good brushing, use quality toothpaste and a soft bristle brush. Your teeth and gums will thank you!
What causes teeth problems?
The most common suggestion to have a healthy set of teeth for a lifetime is to constantly brush and floss them. Most teeth and mouth problems are triggered or caused by plaque, an icky layer of bacteria, food particles, and other organic matter that forms on the surface of the teeth.
The bacteria found in plaque are responsible for producing acids that cause cavities to form. Plaque is also responsible for periodontal disease, an infection that can damage the tissues and erode the bone surrounding the teeth.
The best way to remove plaque and destroy its chances of building up is through brushing and flossing. Regular brushing and flossing are really needed so that the plaque won’t have the chance to accumulate and harden.
Avoiding teeth problems is easy to do if you brush and floss your teeth two times a day. When brushing, use toothpaste that has fluoride in it for extra protection from cavities. Floss once or twice a day to remove any food particles left between the teeth where brushing can’t reach them.
Do It Correctly
Don’t Be A Sloppy Brusher Most people have been taught the proper technique of brushing the teeth when they were kids.
However, as people get older, they tend to disregard the proper way of brushing and just brush their teeth sloppily. If you think that simply brushing your teeth all around and making bubbles is enough to get rid of the plaque and other food debris, think again.
You may just be wasting your time, effort, and toothpaste if you don’t practice the proper technique of brushing your teeth. It takes more than instinctive brushing to get your toothbrush bristles to remove plaque without injuring your gums.
Imagine this: plaque sticks to the teeth just like jam sticks to a wooden ladle. Rinsing the wooden ladle won’t really remove the jam, instead, light and constant brushing will be able to do the trick.
Brushing too hard will damage the ladle, which will also have the same damage to the teeth and gums. Don’t rush when you are brushing your teeth. Two minutes is the recommended time to adequately remove the food and plaque build-up on your teeth.
Here is a nice video that shows you how to do it correctly:
Why is good dental care so important?
It is about more than your teeth. Good dental care is important because it has effects on your entire body. If plaque builds up inside of the mouth for a few days or weeks without being removed by brushing, there are greater chances that gum disease will occur (which can lead to tooth loss).
Excess teeth plaque can also affect your heart. Studies have shown that heart attacks can occur more often in people who do not brush their teeth regularly.
It has also been linked to diabetes, cancer, and more through periodontal disease.
If you are having trouble brushing your teeth, try using a toothpaste with xylitol. Xylitol is an ingredient that helps control plaque and reduce bacteria levels. It’s also affordable and tastes good!
Just think – it is SO easy to take care of your health, and teeth, but simply giving up only 4 minutes of your day. twice a day.
To learn more about your teeth, I have a fun and free printable downloadable study unit for you!
Learn about your teeth, try a fun experiment, and have some fun!
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