Daily Dose of Common Sense

In tough economic times, some people need to cut back on medical expenses that are not covered, or only partially covered, by insurance. For many, these can include dental visits. Luckily, there are some cheap ways to keep your teeth in good shape between trips to the dentist.

Some of the items on the list are no-brainers (like “brush longer”…duh), but others may surprise you. One of the best things you can do is to drink your local tap water. It contains fluoride, while many bottled waters do not. Fluoride helps to prevent cavities.

Here are a few highlights from the article:

• Do some dairy. Just two ounces of milk, cheese or yogurt each day can help reduce the risk of gum disease. Dairy products contain calcium and lactic acid to keep teeth strong and destroy harmful bacteria.
• Floss before you brush. By flossing first, you can use your brushing time to get rid of all the gunk you removed with the floss.
• While you’re at it, brush your tongue and mouth, too. Bacteria are all over your mouth, not just on your teeth.
• Don’t brush right after eating citrus. Citrus fruits or drinks containing those fruits also have citric acid. That acid can temporarily weaken tooth enamel and leave your teeth vulnerable to damage from your toothbrush. Thirty minutes should be enough time to make sure your teeth are ready to stand up to a good brushing.

So, don’t let your teeth down. You don’t want to be a Yuck Mouth, do you?

[Via Pat's Papers]

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 at 1:04 pm and is filed under Health, Hygiene. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.