Here are a quick list of annoying dental problems and some easy, natural solutions that you can utilize now, at home.  You don’t have to live with painful teeth and gums forever and sometimes the right treatment is right there in your kitchen cabinet!

• Plaque: Plaque is the sticky deposits of mucus, bacteria and particles of food that adhere to teeth. The best way to keep plaque at bay is to brush daily with soap.  Brushing with soap will leave your teeth and gums squeaky clean.  Flossing is also really, really important.  Salivation is important for keeping teeth and gums clean and foods that are spicy  promote salivation, as do apples, oranges and other fruit.

• Gingivitis: Gingivitis affects hundreds of thousands and is one of the major causes of adult tooth loss.  Gingivitis refers to inflammation of the gums, which is caused by plaque.  When plaque gets out of control, gingivitis results.   Applying aloe vera to the gums will sooth the tissues and may ease the tooth pain.  Gently brushing your teeth with goldenseal powder every day for a few weeks in addition to soap may also clear up the gingivitis.

Jomphong / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

• Periodontitis: If gingivitis is left untreated, it can lead to periodontitis.  This is an advanced stage of the disease in which the bone that supports the teeth begins to erode because of the infection.

• Dry mouth: Chronic dry mouth, or xerostomia, happens when salivation stops.  This is normally due to either prescription or nonprescription medication, allergy medication being high on the list of offenders.  Water, of course, is very helpful for this condition.  Celery can be useful for stimulating the saliva glands as well as apples and other fruit.  Nose breathing is also an important factor for those with chronic dry mouth.

Phaitoon / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

• Gum infection or gum pain: No fun at all!  Here are a few things you can do that may help.  Massage your gums daily to increase circulation in the area.  Rubbing some coconut oil (which is antibacterial and antiviral) onto the gums may help relieve pain, as is gargling with salt water.  Mix a teaspoon of salt into a glass of lukewarm water and gargle with it throughout the day.  Garlic is another effective pain reliever, as well as being antiviral and antibacterial!

Image: Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

• Receding Gums: If you brush your teeth too roughly, this can lead to a receding gumline after a while.  Not brushing or flossing can also lead to receding gums, so it’s important to always remember to have good dental hygiene.  If you’re already plagued by receding gums, use a soft toothbrush and avoid hard candies.

Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Remember this: human teeth (or any teeth, for that matter) are not designed to decay and be in constant pain.  Your gums were not meant to recede.  Sometimes, you really can turn these things around.

What to avoid:

• Poor nutrition
• Improper brushing
• Unnecessary chemicals
• Too much sugar
• Smoking and drugs
• Excessive alcohol

Be good to your teeth and gums.  Of course, if you have a problem that seems to be beyond you, go see your dentist!

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Yocheved Burnham

Nutrition and Oral Health

Guest Post by: Free Dentist Finder

The food we eat and our oral health are interconnected. From before birth, and from the cradle to the grave, nutrition plays a role in determining the oral health of an individual. Oral health also has an impact on food intake at all ages. Infants can only consume soft food before their teeth develop and enable variety. This is also true for adults who have lost their teeth or are suffering from severe oral health problems. This article discusses how nutrition and oral health are related, and what should and should not be done to maintain a healthy mouth and a healthy body.

What dental professionals can tell you about nutrition and oral health 1 2 Here are some things your dentist or dental hygienist may tell you about nutrition, if you take the time to ask. According to a paper published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization “diet plays an important role in preventing oral diseases including dental caries, dental erosion, developmental defects, oral mucosal diseases and, to a lesser extent, periodontal disease”. The paper by, Paula J. Moynihan of the School of Dental Sciences, University of Newcastle upon Tyne in England summarizes the evidence for an association between diet, nutrition and oral diseases.3 Poor nutrition increases the harm from oral and dental diseases. Poor nutrition is also linked to developmental defects of the enamel, increasing likelihood of dental caries.

A balanced diet benefits oral health by strengthening immunity. Michael P. Rethman, DDS, MS, a former president of the American Academy of Periodontology is quoted on perio.org, the website of the AAP: “A diet low in important nutrients can make it harder for the body’s immune system to fight off infection.” Eating high levels of starchy staple foods, fruits and vegetables are linked to low levels of dental caries. So a diet high in starchy staple foods, fruit and vegetables and low in free sugars and fat protects oral and general health. Sugars are linked to dental caries. Controlling sugar levels in the diet is a key factor in caries prevention. Soft drinks—a key source of acid in the diet—cause dental erosion. It is also best to limit intake of juices which are high in sugars and acid; they could lead to tooth abrasion and gum recession.

Fluoride in drinking water has not eliminated dental caries. Daily calcium intake is important because it plays a vital role in building density in the alveolar bone that supports the teeth. Calcium is necessary for healthy bones and teeth. Results of a study published in the Journal of Periodontology found that those who take less than 500 milligrams—about half the recommended dietary allowance—of calcium were twice as likely to have periodontal diseases. Vitamin C plays a role in maintaining and repairing healthy connective tissue, in addition to its antioxidant properties. Those taking less than 60mg recommended dose of vitamin C per day—about one orange—may be at nearly one-and-a-half times the risk of developing severe gingivitis; compared to those who consume three times the recommended dose.

Gingivitis causes the gums to become red, swollen and to bleed easily, and is the earliest stage of gum disease. Uncontrolled diabetes increases risk of periodontal disease. Patients with diabetes should try to reduce cholesterol and serum triglyceride levels through diet and exercise. Drinking a lot of water keeps the mouth moist, and helps ward off tooth decay and periodontal diseases by washing away food and neutralizing plaque. Regular brushing and flossing after meals help maintain great oral health. This is especially necessary after eating sticky and sugary foods.

It is important to protect teeth and oral health in older people. Saliva flow—needed for chewing and swallowing food—decreases with age. It may result in old people omitting healthy food from their diet, settling instead for foods of a pulpy, wet, smooth and slimy texture. This can be detrimental to their health.  Long term problems with dentures or dental problems can also create severe nutritional issues in older adults. You can learn more about food that are good and bad for dental health in other articles in this section.

About The Author

Find local dentists with expertise in dental implants, cosmetic dentistry or general family dentist. More than 100,000 Dentists available to help you 24/7. For more info,visit the Free Dentist Finder.

We all want healthy teeth and gums, but there’s nothing like having a nice set of pearly whites that just sparkle.  Besides the gum inflammation and painful gums we all want to avoid, it’s important to have beautiful teeth, too.  First, here are a few tips to avoiding staining your teeth, so you won’t have to whiten them later.

Piyachok Thawornmat / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What To Avoid

Some of the foods that may cause your teeth to stain include coffee, tea,  red wine, cola, cranberry juice, beets, curry, tomato sauce, blueberries, and artificial colors.  If you do choose to partake in these foods, you may want to rinse your mouth afterwards to minimize any possible staining.

Nutdanai Apikhomboonwaroot / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Of course, if you’re smoking, you should stop!  Besides the numerous health risks smoking poses to the smoker and to those around them, cigarettes cause tremendous staining on teeth.

What To Use

If the damage is already done, there are a few ways to gently remove stains from your teeth.

• Baking Soda can be really effective for removing superficial stains on teeth.  Just wet your toothbrush, sprinkle some baking soda on it and brush away.  Brush gently, though, this can make your gums bleed.

Tooth Soap®

• Tooth Brightener is a wonderful product by Tooth Soap.  It is not abrasive, allowing your teeth to remineralize from the (nutritious) foods in your diet.  It gently removes food and other stains from your teeth.  The ingredients of Tooth Brightener are  whole food calcium/magnesium and natural and solvent free bicarb of soda; simple, non-toxic and effective ingredients.  Use Tooth Brightener at least twice a week to keep teeth nice and white.

• Hydrogen Peroxide can be effective for  bleaching teeth stains away.  Just mix one part of hydrogen peroxide with one part of water and swish it around in your mouth.  Do this a few times a week and you’ll start to notice your teeth becoming much whiter.

Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

•  Apples! Apples, as well as other fruits, promote the production of saliva in your mouth, which acts to kill bacteria, keeping your teeth and gums strong and healthy as well as breaking down stains.

You don’t need to visit the dentist for invasive and potentially dangerous tooth whitening procedures.  Additionally, home bleaching kits don’t even last very long!  These home tooth whitening remedies are made to last as well as promote healthy teeth and gums.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Yocheved Burnham