Health Zone: Seven ways to make your teeth healthy

Brushing the teeth every morning is a regular routine for most people. However, there are some people who believe the teeth does not necessarily need to be brushed first thing in the morning, while some argue that it can be done after the first meal.

While there are no rules of thumb on the timing to brush the teeth, dental experts are of the opinion that the tooth is a living tissue and as such needs to be taken care of.

Taking care of the teeth requires more than brushing day and night. It requires conscious effort to keep it healthy and from decay.

The Nigerian Dental Association in one of its educative tweets on its twitter handle @nigdental said the tooth is a living tissue, therefore it has feelings (literally and figuratively).

The association said “observing better oral hygiene practices is a decision everyone needs to take to protect the health of the mouth and body in a whole.”

Using the tweets, it explained that the health of our teeth are a reflection of our habits.

This implies that every food we eat, what we drink and the type of brush we use for our teeth or majorly the substances we put in our mouth can have an effect on the teeth.

This is why archaeologists use dental analysis of fossils excavated from archaeological sites to get insight into dietary trends of past civilizations.

This implies that the teeth are important and must be taken care of.

Here are seven tips on how to make the teeth happy.

2. Reduce intake of sugary snacks and drinks,restrict them to meal times, also consider using a straw for your drinks.

3. Ensure to keep a dental appointment twice a year for routine check ups

4. Do not use your teeth to crack bone or open bottle covers. Whatever calcium you hope to get from the bone is negligible when compared to the damage on your teeth.

5. Eat healthy meals, especially vegetables and fruits. After taking your fruits, you should rinse out with water as some fruits contain a high level of acids in them.

6. Avoid using toothpicks, many of them are too wide and cause more damage. Instead, use a dental floss

7. Chewing a sugar free gum after meals is protective and gives fresh breaths.