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Healthy smile can make you feel great and boost your confidence. A healthy smile can be a great asset; and because this is so important, it makes sense to give your teeth the best care possible.

To keep your teeth clean and healthy, brush at least twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. If you are really good, brush three times a day, after each meal. Brushing and flossing are very simple ways for you to prevent tooth decay, keep your gums healthy and help keep your teeth clean and white. Use only soft bristle brushes and angle the brush at the gumline moving the brush in a gentle circular motion.

Get all the way back to the back teeth on the tongue, cheek, and biting surfaces. Floss on both sides of the teeth in between the teeth. Practicing preventative daily care will also avoid the need for costly dental care. Everyone knows that candy, sugary gum and other treats aren’t healthy choices, but when it comes to your teeth the most damage can come from sipping sodas, energy drinks, and juices all day long. Sip water instead, and fill the recommended “eight, eight ounces a day”.

Drink the sodas with meals, if you must, to avoid the constant attack of sugar throughout the day. While you may have to pay out of pocket for dental exams, x-rays, and cleanings, those twice a year appointments with your hygienist can actually save you money in the long run. When you schedule those appointments, ask to have a fluoride treatment. Adults benefit from having fluoride as much as children do. It helps in preventing new and recurrent decay around old fillings and the sensitivity we may develop as we get older. Fluoride really does strengthen the teeth, it’s a fact.

PHOTO: TEETHWHITENINGREVIEW.CO.UK

If you have been in the habit of visiting your dentist regularly and don’t have a history of cavities, you may not need to have x-rays done every time you go for a check-up. If you are taking good care of your teeth between appointments, you and your dentist may decide on a 12-24 month interval for the “in between teeth cavity detecting” x-rays. Just ask. No matter how busy or tired you are, brush your teeth before going to bed. While you sleep, the sugar you have sitting on your teeth from the day combine with the bacteria in your mouth and form the acid that eats at your teeth during the night. So brush that sugar and bacteria away and have fresh breath, which is a bonus for a happier love life!

Chew gum to stimulate the production of saliva. The bodies natural defense, it helps reduce the levels of acid and harmful bacteria in the mouth. Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated and prevent a dry mouth and lower amounts of saliva. Baking soda cleans as well as whitens, but is abrasive, so use it infrequently (just once or twice a month). To use baking soda as a teeth cleaner and whitener, mix a small amount with water into a paste consistency and use in the same way as regular toothpaste. This method had been used for centuries, since way before regular toothpaste became commercially available.