No matter what stage of life you are in, taking care of your teeth and gums is essential. However, like so many other things, the path to good dental health actually changes slightly with age.
It is never too early to promote dental health. Parents should begin “brushing” their infants’ gums even before teeth erupt. This will not only help them become used to the sensation, it will also ensure that their gums stay clean. At this stage, however, rather than using a toothbrush, parents should simply wipe their infants’ gums with a clean, damp washcloth.
The cloth can continue to be used as baby teeth break through. In both infancy and toddlerhood, it is important to not let your child fall asleep with a bottle of milk or juice. Doing so can cause dental health problems as the sugar from the drinks can settle on their teeth and lead to cavities.
Food with higher water content helps to neutralize the sugar content and also stimulate the secretion of saliva. Acidic foods the likes of tomatoes, citrus fruits and lemons should also be included as part of a larger meal in order to decrease the acidic environs which your teeth will exposed. Dental health should be taken into serious consideration.
As children get older, they should begin visiting the dentist biannually. This is also a good time to start them in the habit of twice daily brushing. Be sure to teach them how to brush prior to letting them take on the task themselves. Ensure that they eat healthy, non-sugary snacks and teach them the importance of good dental health.
Once children enter the teenage years, dental health takes on a different meaning. By tapping into the social nature of teenagers, you can easily encourage them to take care of their mouths. Good dental health for teens can be summed up with twice yearly checkups, twice daily brushing, and flossing once a day for a clean, healthy smile. Staying away from tobacco products will help keep their teeth white as well.
Common sugar substitute include isomalt, mannitol, erythritol and sorbitol. Certain eatables which are labeled as sugarless or sugar-free are just that, sugarless but they contain substitutes in the form of honey, fructose, rice syrup and molasses. These substitutes add just as much calorie as sugar and thus equally bad to the teeth. To be sure that the food is sugarless, examine the ingredients tab, if it contains things which end in -ose then it means the presence of a natural sweetener.
At every age, it is imperative that people take proper care of their mouths. Brushing and flossing are only the beginning. Making sure that you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet affects every part of your body, including your teeth. And checkups with the dentist should never be considered optional. Your dental health is inextricably linked to your overall health, and as such should not be taken lightly.
