Your dentist appreciates when you understand what it takes to have healthy teeth and good overall dental health. You should brush teeth twice every day and floss at least once every day

Key takeaways:

- Failure to brush and floss regularly will lead to the accumulation of bacteria in the mouth causing gum disease, and potentially triggering heart disease.

- You should see a dentist when you first notice blood when brushing. Bleeding gums may lead to bacteria getting into the bloodstream.

- Cavities are not only caused by sugary foods. Acidic foods will erode tooth enamel and lead to tooth decay.

Many say every six months, but the American Dental Association says it depends on your health status, and frequency of visits should be recommended by your dentist, based on your risks factors for tooth decay and gum disease.

Read the full story here

https://knowridge.com/2017/01/what-your-dentist-really-wants-you-to-know/

The major factor leading to bad breath is poor dental hygiene. Food debris left in the mouth leads to the buildup of plaque and other bacteria that cause bad breath.

Key takeaways:

- Foods that have strong odors such as onions and garlic will leave an odor until they pass through the body. Brushing and flossing only temporarily masks the odor.

- Halitosis could be a sign of gum disease, dry mouth, chronic acid reflux, dental caries, diabetes, and respiratory problems such as pneumonia.

- Good oral hygiene, regular dental visits, drinking lots of water and quitting smoking are ways to prevent bad breath.

If your dentist determines that your mouth is healthy and the odor is not of oral origin, you may be referred to your family doctor or to a specialist to determine the odor source and treatment plan.

Read the full story here

www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/bad-breath#1

E-Cigarettes are not as safe as often touted. The risk of explosion has left people bewildered as regards their safety when using the product.

Key takeaways:

- The accident happened while Andrew was in the bathroom with the device shattering into pieces while in his mouth.

- The e-cigarette knocked out several teeth in the mouth and left him with second degree burns to the cheeks.

- Batteries used in the e-cigarettes are widely blamed for the vape pen explosions reported by users.

'I've lost at least 7 teeth, 2nd degree burns to face and neck and have been pulling chunks of plastic, teeth and foreign objects from mouth, throat and lips,' he told Facebook friends.

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4125240/Idaho-man-loses-teeth-vape-explodes-face.html

Tooth sensitivity can be prevented by avoiding acidic foods and high sugar carbohydrates. Do not brush teeth immediately after eating acidic foods.

Key takeaways:

- Take good care of tooth enamel which is the protective layer. Worn out enamel exposes nerve endings leading to pain.

- Brush softly with a soft bristled brush to avoid wearing out tooth enamel.

- Teeth sensitivity could be a sign of other problems such as receding gums, teeth grinding and gum disease.

Ignoring your teeth can make things worse. Brush and floss twice a day to help keep your smile bright and pain-free. And see your dentist for a checkup twice a year.

Read the full story here

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/healthy-teeth-17/tooth-sensitivity

Daily oral hygiene practices are perhaps the greatest factor in your dental health. Flossing is an important part of any oral health routine.

Key takeaways:

- The long term dental health benefits of flossing your teeth on a daily basis cannot be overemphasized.

- People who have dental work that poses challenges to dental floss will benefit from using a water flosser.

- A water flosser is the method of choice for people who wear braces or who find it hard to use dental floss.

And if dental floss doesn't leave you smiling, a water flossing machine may just do the trick.

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https://consumer.healthday.com/dental-and-oral-information-9/misc-dental-problem-news-174/health-tip-should-you-use-a-water-flosser-709442.html

Dental implants are considered the best possible replacement for missing teeth. The implants are permanently affixed to the jaw bone.

Key takeaways:

- Dental implants are one way of replacing missing teeth and getting back your smile.

- The single most important requirement for dental implants is to have a healthy jaw bone.

- Implants will benefit people of all ages and especially people who can no longer wear removable dentures.

According to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, an implant acts as an anchor for a crown or a set of replacement teeth.

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https://consumer.healthday.com/dental-and-oral-information-9/misc-dental-problem-news-174/health-tip-do-you-need-a-dental-implant-521755.html

Steer clear of e-cigarettes as they are now believed to cause oral health problems. More and more studies are revealing the real extent of health problems linked to e-cigarettes.

Key takeaways:

- E-cigarettes are not a healthier alternative to conventional cigarette smoking.

- Vapors from e-cigarettes cause the cells to release inflammatory proteins and may lead to oral diseases.

- The frequency and the amount of e-cigarettes smoked directly determine the level of damage to the gums and oral cavity.

The researchers also found that the flavoring chemicals used in e-cigarettes play a role in damaging cells in the mouth.

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https://consumer.healthday.com/cancer-information-5/electronic-cigarettes-970/e-cigarettes-not-good-to-gums-study-finds-716974.html

You may be flossing your teeth the wrong way. Follow these instructions to ensure you are flossing teeth properly.

Key takeaways:

- Always use a piece of dental floss that is 18 inches long wrapped around a finger on each hand.

- The floss is then rubbed between teeth by moving it back and forth.

- The floss should be pressed firmly against each tooth making sure to slide it up and down against all sides of the tooth before proceeding to the next.

Carefully shape the floss into a C at the gum line, and slide it between the gum and tooth.

Read the full story here

https://consumer.healthday.com/dental-and-oral-information-9/misc-dental-problem-news-174/health-tip-floss-properly-718246.html

Recent scientific breakthrough will leave people smiling. People can save their teeth through use of a drug meant for Alzheimer?s disease.

Key takeaways:

- The researchers have found that a drug used to treat Alzheimer?s is able to stimulate the tooth to generate new dentine.

- The drug works by stimulating the growth of stem cells already in the pulp to grow into new dentine.

- The simplicity of the treatment and the drug having been tested for Alzheimer?s makes it ideal clinical treatment for large cavities.

The novel, biological approach could see teeth use their natural ability to repair large cavities rather than using cements or fillings, which are prone to infections and often need replacing a number of times.

Read the full story here

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/damaged-teeth-regrow-alzheimers-drug-naturally-dentist-kings-college-london-a7517366.html

You can prevent the damage caused by alcohol to the teeth by brushing your teeth. Brushing should only be done after 30 minutes or so after drinking to protect tooth enamel.

Key takeaways:

- White wine sipped over a long period will affect the pH in the mouth and lead to enamel erosion due to its acidity.

- High alcohol drinks such as vodka and whiskey dry up the mouth by reducing the production of saliva leading to bad breath and bacteria growth.

- You should sip water as you consume alcohol to wash away the alcohol from the teeth and the mouth.

Red wine is rough on your teeth. "On top of being acidic, it also has chromogens ? dark pigments," explains Dr. Banker. "Plus, it contains tannins, an astringent from the peel of the grape that has a binding effect."

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http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/a32961/alcohol-effects-teeth/