Teeth health starts with proper eating habits. Sweets don’t have to be avoided, but there has to be the proper balance. When it’s time to select the foods your children are going to eat, if candy is going to be eaten, teach them to keep their teeth healthy.

Be careful with your child’s teeth by brushing them two times daily, regardless of whether they have sweets, chocolate or any kind of food in the day time. A Candy Cane isn’t a brush to scrub their teeth, although a lot of young people like to put it in their mouth. Brushing daily is necessary for those who eat foods rich in sugar.

Sweet candy can also cause tooth decay. Fluoride toothpaste is the best way to keep your smile. This assists children in establishing a routine of brushing their teeth, not eating too much sweets, and avoiding eating anything after brushing their teeth at night to keep micro-organisms out of their mouth.

The American Dental Association has cartoons and online games created to instruct kids as to how to brush their teeth as well as other basic information regarding oral health care. They tell students to be aware of the harm that chocolate candy, sugar, hard candy and other sweet foods can cause if they don’t get regular cleanings.

Using a flavored toothpaste that contains fluoride is the best method to help children develop good brushing routines. Lots of dentists suggest changing the taste of the toothpaste used regularly to get the best outcome.

Studies have shown children who enjoy brushing their teeth twice a day, do it for a longer time if the toothpaste is flavored, since they link the taste with the taste of candy. Correct brushing prevents gum disease, cavities and other dental issues created by eating chocolate or chewy candy.

Children who are 6 years old or younger should brush using about a pea-sized bit of toothpaste to get rid of plaque. This small amount is enough to give the needed protection from hard candy, and other foods that stick to teeth during the day.

Proper eating habits contribute to healthy teeth, but the snacks kids eat that are made of sugar lead to the formation of cavities. Limiting snacks for your kids isn’t necessarily a good idea since they need food for energy, but replace candy with nutritious foods like carrot sticks or other vegetables.

Let’s explore the ingredients in toothpaste; telling you what else they make from these same chemicals and compounds found in it.

Back in the 1840’s, toothpowder contained ground-up coral, cuttlefish bone, burnt eggshells or porcelain. They were colored purple with cochineal, which is derived from the bodies of tropical scale insects.

Today, toothpaste’s white color alone has 10 or more ingredients, along with enhancers and binders. The main ingredient, is finely powdered chalk called calcium carbonate, or another mineral powder such as aluminum oxide, which is an ingredient used to make cement. Then you have titanium oxide, a white powder, which is added to make the paste whiter.

So does this make you want to use gel toothpastes? Okay, let’s explore that option. These get their abrasiveness from a compound called silica, you know, silica. The little white packets of stuff put in a purse, luggage, vitamins, etc. and marked with an extreme warning label not to ingest! Oh … then they add the coloring. The thickening agent is usually alginate, a derivative of seaweed … not so bad, but what makes toothpaste foam? Detergents!

Now we come to fluorides. The FDA recently remarked that there “may” be indications of links to diseases from the use of fluorides. This is only a “may,” but you know how it will end, don’t you?

Then on to the mouthwash substances incorporated in there to make your breath smell good and keep your teeth strong. Plus you have glycerin to prevent the paste from drying out. And let us not forget the formalin, which is a disinfectant to kill bacteria.

We’re not even going to tell you what the stripes are made of, or how they keep the colored stripes from running together, we fear you may hate us for being the bearer of bad news!

I don’t know about you, but this all makes me want to use baking soda.

Actually, we use “one drop” of Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Peppermint Soap, which is made from rosemary extract, hemp oil and is a vegetable-based soap, so it has no detergents. Or we use Melaleuca (tea tree oil).

If you care about what goes into your children … please make sure it is not toothpaste.

There is not a person anywhere who doesn’t wish that their teeth were gleaming and white. In addition, most people dread the very thought of going to the dentist. If you follow certain basic rules, you won’t have to visit the dentist very often, and when you do, you won’t have to be concerned.

- Even if your toothbrush looks alright, it should be replaced every three months. Another issue regarding toothbrushes — It is wise to select a model that fits the size of the mouth. Those with nylon, medium-length bristles are best.

- Abrasive materials should not be included in your toothpaste, because with frequent use, abrasives destroy tooth enamel. Sweeteners are also not recommended because they increase the risk of the occurrence of cavities. Special whitening products can be used on a daily basis for 15 days. Their function is not necessarily to whiten teeth as much as it is to remove microscopic particles that have accumulated.

- Floss your teeth each night. This will help prevent cavities from occurring between two teeth. This is essential for people whose teeth are close together or crowded.

- Do you frequently have bleeding gums? Make sure that you make an appointment with the dentist! Paradonthosys can be cured or alleviated, but only when caught in its early stages. Use a solution of medicine or baking soda and lemon as a preventative.

- If drinking cold water produces pain, see your dentist right away. Possibly the pain may be emanating from the gums. Sometimes improper use of the toothbrush causes the base of the tooth to become exposed.

- Whole grain breads, vegetables and hard fruits are especially beneficial for your teeth. You should concentrate on eating lots of apples, celery and carrots.

- Cigarettes are one of the main sources of dental plaque. Certain types of nicotine increase the amount of bacterial present in the mouth.

- Sugar is the food that is the worst for your teeth because it can lead to tooth decay. But it is not problematic to consume sweets on a daily basis, even large quantities of sweets. The problem occurs when sugary foods are consumed throughout the day, even when smaller quantities are consumed.

- Fluoride is helpful for children. It prevents cavities by strengthening the enamel.

Dentists and physicians refer to tooth decay as “dental caries,” which involves a procedure in which the tooth enamel and then the body’s of the tooth are eroded and gradually disintegrate. Tooth decay is not a sudden occurrence. It takes months for bacterial plaque to erode tooth enamel and make its way into the body of the tooth. In time, these bacteria travel through the dentin tubules which lead to the pulp, and create deep infection, which forms abscesses and potential pain of toothache.

There are two distinct facets to tooth decay. It requires that certain bacteria be allowed to develop in concentration and be left undisturbed on the surface of the teeth for lengthy periods of time. A specific strain of streptococcus is the frequently involved bacteria, which for some reason is prevalent in the mouths of some people more than others. It also requires that the individual’s teeth be susceptible to decay. A number of issues may be at play, including low density tooth enamel, nutritional deficiencies in the body or mineral imbalances in the saliva. Certain foods can hasten the decay process as well.

The main culprits are carbohydrates, refined starch and sugar, plus fruits also. Even though a specific amount of phosphorus is required for teeth to be healthy, too much of this minerals might result in calcium depletion of tooth enamel.  People who eat a lot of meat, milk and more than anything, carbonated drinks, are most likely receiving too much phosphorus – more than what is necessary for their teeth. Acidic foods, including carbonated drinks and high-acid fruits like citrus and pineapple, as well as chewable vitamin C, can hasten the loss of calcium from tooth enamel. One should be aware of and take the necessary precautions before eating such kinds of fruits, which would certainly help defeat the enemy of Tooth Decay.

We depend on our mouth, teeth, gums, tongue and lips (just to name a few) for much of what there is to enjoy. The evidence may never be clearer than when you can’t open your mouth fully, when your tongue and cheeks are numb, and you can’t chew food for about a week.

Heck, you can’t even smile to show what a strapping, courageous patient you’ve been. We have a few ideas about how much wiser you can be about nutrition and great-tasting food during your malady. Would you believe that it’s an even better time to get wise about nutrition than ever before? Because it’s best not to eat foods that may get stuck in the gum area, thus preventing inflammation, you’re about to discover some new comfort foods that will make wisdom teeth removal a pleasant memory.

Slurp these recipes up. Chicken, garlic and other ingredients are included here to boost your immune system, help your mouth heal faster, help you sleep better, obliterate undesirable side effects from medications you’re taking to kill the pain, and lift your mood!

Chicken Rice soup

Chicken noodle soup getting old? Try another kind of carbohydrate in your comfort soup. Starch from rice thickens the soup and gives it real body, and the grains expand and get fluffy.

1 large onion
3 large celery ribs
3 medium carrots
3 pound chicken, with bones and skin
3 quarts water
1 cup long-grain brown rice
one-third cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt

Coarsely chop onion and cut celery and carrots crosswise into quarter-inch thick slices. Cut chicken into parts, separating limbs and breasts from torso. This should expose some torso bones. In a soup pot combine all ingredients except parsley and bring to a boil. Simmer soup, covered, 1 hour, and if necessary, skim fat. Transfer chin to colander and when cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones. Coarsely shred meat and return to soup. Season with parsley, salt and pepper and reheat if necessary. Six great servings.

Gotta Have Garlic Soup

Think garlic will make you smell bad? Think again! This recipe has effectively no smelly side effects found in a whole bunch of people who’ve eaten it again and again because they just can’t get enough:

1 large head garlic
5 cups water
pinch of thyme and rosemary
5 large egg yolks
three-quarters cup grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons olive oil

Separate garlic head into cloves. Smash cloves with flat side of a heavy knife and remove skin, roughly chop. In a soup pot, bring water, garlic, herbs to a boil. Simmer, covered, 45 minutes. In a bowl whisk together yolks, Parmesan and 2 tablespoons oil until combined well. Add half cup garlic broth to yolk mixture in a slow stream, whisking, and whisk yolk mixture into remaining hot garlic broth. Cook soup over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Do not let it boil. Tear a rustic bread into pieces, drizzling remaining oil over pieces, and serve with soup.

Minted apricot couscous

We won’t guarantee this recipe will give you one thousand and one nights of sweet dreams, but you’ll definitely be transported away from a swollen mouth, trouble focusing on email even if it’s from the focus of your heart’s devotion, and a hard time talking with friends.

1 and one-thirds cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup couscous
half an English cucumber
4 fresh apricots or three dried
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a saucepan bring water, oil, honey and cumin to a boil and stir in couscous. Rewmove pan from heat immediately and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Seed cucumber and cut into quarter-inch dice. Pit apricots and cut into quarter-inch dice. Fluff couscous with fork and stir in cucumber, apricots, mint, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or chilled. 6 great servings.

The best way to maintain healthy, white teeth is to brush and floss regularly. You may want a teeth whitening kit that will quickly remove heavy teeth stains. If you don’t want to have your teeth whitening done by your dentist, you can use teeth whitening strips daily and cut back on stain causing foods, drinks, and smoking. Dental whitening can be the best and quickest method to eliminate stains from your teeth, however this can cost a lot.

At home tooth whitening kits will usually lessen stains on your teeth in a one to two week time frame. You can keep your teeth white by brushing your teeth at least twice a day, flossing daily and restricting your intake of stain causing foods such as coffee and wine, as well as using an in-home teeth whitening kit.

The appearance of your teeth and their yellowness should be the determining factor in choosing a product that will get the job done the quickest. It is important to regularly visit your dentist to determine that your teeth and gums are healthy before using an in-home teeth whitening kit to maintain your beautiful smile.

Treatment

The symptoms of TMJ can sometimes resolve themselves with the removal of aggravating conditions, such as chewing gum, excess stress. The TMJ Association claims there are more than 50 treatments possible treatments for TMJ. They caution, “none of the surgical treatments for severe cases have been proven effective in long-term controlled clinical trials.”

One of the least invasive treatments I tried myself.

My parents are both health care professionals, and so I knew from my early teens that I had TMJ by their diagnosis. It never caused much pain or required more formal medical attention until I was in my third year of college. I had full-time classes, a full-time job, a busy workout schedule, and a full-time social life. Always a stickler for dental health, I would chew sugarless gum if I didn’t have time to brush my teeth after a meal. I ate several times throughout the day, being extremely active and having such a high metabolism. My days were so busy that I almost never had time to brush my teeth, and I would find myself chewing gum for over 8 eights hours every day (thank goodness for buying in bulk, because I could have financed my retirement for what I invested in gum!)

The pain crept up on me slowly, until it would get to the point where I could barely open my mouth wide enough for a spoon without shooting pains through my jaw. I couldn’t chew anything more firm than mashed potatoes without stabbing pains. I felt like I had an ear infection for several weeks - a deep, sharp, constant, aching pain. This actually turned out to be referred pain from my TMJ.

I was referred to an orthodontist, who fitted me with a biteguard in a short, in-office procedure. The biteguard was a clear plastic molding of my upper teeth, so thin you could barely feel it and so clear you could barely see it. It was only for use at night. The orthodontist’s feeling was that because of my high level of stress, I was probably grinding my teeth at night. I objected. Not only am I highly conscious of my psychological state (and I felt fine) I was also convinced that I did not grind my teeth in my sleep. Without leaving room for argument, he replied, “Since you do it in your sleep, you wouldn’t know if you did it or not.”

On his recommendation, I used the biteguard at night and stopped chewing gum during the day, and within weeks, the pain had ebbed to nothing. Whether or not my improvement was due to the biteguard or the gum-chewing habit I had eliminated remains unclear. The TJM Association claims that one fourth of the American population grinds their teeth at night, and quite simply, “Not all people with TMJ grind their teeth, and not all habitual tooth-grinders have TMJ,” leaving the association between bruxism and TMJ unclear.

My TMJ is, however, a less severe case. My jaw will only click or scrape under extreme movement, even though it does list to one side when relaxed and zig-zags when I open wide.

My intention with this article is to make known the condition, its various levels of severity, and its symptoms. Knowing you have TMJ, no matter how mild or how severe, can make daily management easier, eliminating needless pain. If you suspect you may have TMJ, see your family doctor.

Many people have heard of TMJ, but few know what it stands for and what it means. Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome is a dysfunction of the jaw joint that causes pain in several forms. Here we’ll discuss symptoms, causes, treatments, and the mechanisms of the disease.

The TMJ Association defines the condition as “a painful condition affecting the area where the lower jaw connects to the sides of the skull which impairs function and sensation in the face and jaw, which may spread to the ears, neck, and shoulders.” The organization also estimates that 10 million Americans suffer from the disease, 90% of them women in their childbearing years. I am a 22-year-old female and I have TMJ, which I guess makes me “part of the crowd!”

Causes and Risk Factors

Other than direct trauma and degenerative joint disease, argument abounds about the direct causes of TMJ. There is some evidence that it is associated with genetic heritage; in my case, my mother suffers from TMJ, and statistically, that made me more likely to have it myself. However, Dr. Linda LeResche of the University of Washington hypothesizes that sex hormones play a role in pain, suggesting that women simply suffer more pain from TMJ than men because of their hormones and that is why they are more likely to seek treatment. The study demonstrated that “women on hormone replacement therapy were 77% more likely to seek treatment for jaw pain than those not undergoing such treatment. Also, women on oral contraceptive therapy were 19% more likely to seek treatment.”

A complete list of possible causes includes:

* Trauma
* Disease (osteoarthritis, etc.)
* Aging (in its association with joint disease)
* Oral Habits (such as mouth-breathing and nail biting, which put strain on the joint through unusual positioning)
* Dental work (such as wisdom tooth extraction, which requires extreme, prolonged opening of the jaw)
* Genetic Predisposition
* Orthodontics (many adult cases of TMJ today are believed to be a direct result of inappropriate orthodontic devices no longer used today)
* Stress and Bruxism (teeth-grinding)
* Malocclusion (misaligned bite)
* Gender

Symptoms

TMJ has a variety of clinical symptoms that may seem unrelated to the jaw joint when examined out of context. This is why TMJ is frequently misdiagnosed, often as migraines. Patients will go in to see their doctor complaining of neck and shoulder pain accompanied by headaches, and not mention the clicking their jaw makes when they chew because they themselves don’t see the connection.

The following list of possible symptoms was compiled from a variety of sources:

* facial pain

* jaw joint pain

* neck, shoulder, back pain and tension, often accompanied by headaches

* popping, grating or clicking sounds with movement of the jaw joint, especially in chewing

* pain in the joints of the face when opening or closing the mouth, yawning, or chewing

* swelling on the side of the face and/or mouth

* a bite that feels uncomfortable, “off,” or as if it is continually changing; i.e., when you bite down sometimes you feel as if your teeth aren’t lining up the way they normally do

* limited opening or inability to open the mouth comfortably

* deviation of the jaw to one side

* the jaw locking open or locking closed

* a zig-zagging pattern when opening and closing the mouth (you can check this by watching yourself in the mirror as you slowly open and close your mouth; people with TMJ will notice a point where their jaw seems to stick, zig to the side, and zag back into place as the movement is completed).

People with these symptoms often report disturbances in their vision and hearing as well. Referred pain is often the cause of the additional symptoms, and such pain in the inner ear can also cause dizziness or vertigo. It is important that these symptoms be addressed by a medical doctor to eliminate the possibility of other illnesses. Once TMJ is established by your doctor as the appropriate diagnosis, you will most likely be referred to a dentist for treatment.

Tooth decay begins when the bacteria in your mouth use the residue of your food to produce acid. This acid steals minerals like calcium directly from your teeth. The good news is that your teeth can heal themselves, with a little help. Teeth will absorb calcium and phosphate from the healthy foods we eat and from fluoride toothpaste to rebuild themselves. This rebuilding can occur in a matter of hours, especially if you brush your teeth immediately after a meal.

Contrary to popular belief, sugary foods are not the only guilty parties when it comes to tooth decay. Remember that all the foods you eat have to be broken down into sugar (glucose) in order to be used by the body as a fuel source. This process actually begins in the mouth with the saliva, which is specially designed to break down all carbohydrates (even complex starches) into sugar. So, all foods can potentially cause tooth decay if left to the devices of your saliva and the bacteria in your mouth!

Do you remember when you were a kid your mother always made you brush your teeth before bed? Don’t get excited - your mother was not wrong. According to today’s wisdom, however, she was only half right. The ADA now recommends that you brush your teeth at least twice a day.

No matter how well you think you brush or how great the manufacturer says your toothbrush is, only dental floss can reach between the teeth to effectively control plaque and tartar build-up. Overzealous brushing and scrubbing too hard with your toothbrush can damage your gums. For people who have trouble using floss, such as young children or elderly people with arthritic conditions, there are interdental cleaners in stick or pick forms. However, you should consult your dentist on the use of these devices to avoid injuring your gums.

Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda mixed together offer many benefits for teeth whitening. As hydrogen peroxide touches the teeth, it makes a lot of small oxygen bubbles which penetrate the enamel and bleaches the stains. Baking soda gets rid of nasty plaque and aids the peroxide in fighting stains. Mixed together, these substances create the same fresh feeling that you receive from your dentist. A tube of toothpaste that has baking soda and peroxide probably won’t cost over four dollars at the store, and this might be a good place to start for a whiter smile.

WHITE LIGHT™ Home Tooth Whitening System has gotten to be extremely popular as well. Advanced light in combination with the special gel quickly gets rid of staining on the surface and goes deep to get rid of set in stains. The WL system must be used daily for a half hour session, for 5 days at most. Teeth Whitening kits costs $29.90 on the Internet.

The most effective way to guarantee that your teeth stay as white as we all want is merely by eating correctly and keeping up with good dental hygiene. Use caution with sugary and dark tinted foods and drinks, because this will stain your teeth eventually. To have white healthy teeth, it is imperative to at least brush twice per day and floss one time per day. This is suggested by almost every dentist, logically, since brushing and flossing helps to get rid of plaque and stains, maintaining strong white teeth.

We’ve all wanted a brighter smile at some point in time, so why put it off any longer? Following a few easy suggestions and having a desire for a pretty white smile, you can whiten your teeth quickly.