5 Good Habits to Protect Your Teeth, Things You May Be Overlooking

Here's a few tips to show you how to protect your teeth. After all, your teeth have to last you for a lifetime. Modifying your habits now, will help keep your teeth in good condition throughout your lifetime.

1. Don't bite food with your front teeth-use a fork to cut or break food into bite sized pieces. Here's why...in youth and adolescence, the teeth are quite sharp. As teeth are used everyday, cutting and biting, they gradually lose their sharpness. This sharpness of the front bridge of teeth-from canine to canine-equates to a look of youthful attractiveness. Every time you bite with your front teeth you take away from the sharpness, little by little. Do keep all your teeth looking their best, but showcase these front teeth when you smile-save the cutting and biting (of bite-sized pieces) for the molars.

2. Use a straw when drinking sugary or teeth staining beverages. Using a straw allows liquids to by-pass the teeth and go straight to the back of the mouth. A straw reduces contact of beverages with the teeth, therefore reducing erosion.

3. Purchase tooth pastes and mouthwash with enamel hardeners. Enamel hardeners fortify the teeth against cavities, breaking and erosion. Here's a science project to test the effectiveness of fluoride (also a hardener) on the teeth (healthyteeth.org).

4. Make sure to get enough calcium in your diet. Your body uses calcium to build strong teeth and bones.

5. As more studies link overall health to the health of the mouth, be more conscientious in your oral hygiene program. Brush three times a day, use peroxide rinses, an oral irrigator and floss. Now that electric flossers have hit the market, there's no excuse not to floss; electric flossers do the work for you. Commit to using an oral irrigator and flossing for maximum oral health.

Remember, your toothbrush is your baseline defense in your fight against bacteria originating dental maladies. Choose a good one. Oral B is the #1 brand recommended by dentists.