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7 Foods That Will Naturally Whiten Your Smile

White teeth are generally the preserve of the very rich or Americans. No more. Founder of Honestly Healthy Food, Natasha Corrett, has teamed up with premium toothpaste brand BlanX to find ways to naturally brighten your teeth. The foods below can help you gain, or maintain, a perfect smile. Some are a little surprising…

7 Foods

Strawberries

And you thought all those gleaming white smiles at Wimbledon were the result of expensive dental work. Strawberries are fantastic natural teeth whiteners because they contain Malic Acid, which removes surface stains from teeth and whitens the enamel.

Apples

An apple a day keeps the dentist away. Crispy apples strengthen the gums and their high water content increases the production of saliva, dispersing any bacteria in the mouth. And – like several foods on this list – apples function as a naturally abrasive scrub for the teeth.

Celery

Because it’s so stringy it makes a perfect natural dental floss. That’s a joke – please don’t floss your teeth with celery. But, like apples, the high water content of celery brings out that bacteria-washing salvia in force.

Carrots

Alas, carrots won’t help you see in the dark. (That’s an old World War Two myth.) However eating carrots regularly could help whiten your teeth. You know the drill by now. High water content, brings out salvia, bye bye bacteria.

Apples

Chewing this hard fruit will keep your choppers in tip-top shape. The apple’s crispy texture scrubs your teeth and gums, while its high malic acid content helps to remove stains while increasing saliva production
Remember, an apple a day keeps the cavities away.

Carrots

Carrots are a fantastic natural teeth cleaner. Similar to apples, its crunchy abrasive texture polishes teeth and removes surface stains. Carrots also encourage saliva production to protect teeth against cavity-causing bacteria.

Cheese

This one is particularly gratifying. Hard cheese is full of calcium, which strengthens teeth and gums. Plus, being mostly colourless, cheese won’t stain your teeth in the manner of, say, coffee.

5 Home Remedies To Soothe A Toothache

A toothache is a pain in and around the teeth and jaws. Tooth decay, an infection, loose or broken fillings, or receding gums can cause it.

Home Remedies

Cold compress or ice pack

A cold compress or an ice pack can help ease dental pain, especially if a toothache is due to injury or swollen gums.

A person can try holding the ice pack or a bag of frozen peas, for example, against the outside of the cheek above the painful tooth for a few minutes at a time.

Saltwater mouthwash

Rinsing the mouth with warm salt water helps to loosen debris lodged in cavities or between teeth. It may also reduce swelling, boost healing, and relieve a sore throat.

A salt water rinse can be made by dissolving 1 teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and swish around in the mouth for about 30 seconds before spitting out. This process can be repeated as often as needed.

Painkillers

Over-the-counter medication, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, can provide temporary pain relief for a toothache.

Garlic

Garlic has been widely used for medicinal purposes throughout history. It contains a compound called allicin, which accounts for its powerful antibacterial properties.

A fresh clove of garlic should first be crushed and then mixed with a little salt, and the mixture applied to the affected tooth.

Peppermint tea

Like cloves, peppermint has numbing properties that can soothe a toothache. Menthol, which gives peppermint its minty flavor and smell, is also known to be antibacterial.

How to Instantly Cure Bad Breath

  • give up smoking
  • eat a healthy, balanced diet and avoid eating strongly flavored or spicy food
  • cut down on sugary food and drink as it can increase the number of bacteria in your mouth
  • reduce your alcohol consumption
  • cut down on coffee
  • drink plenty of water to help prevent your mouth becoming dry
  • chew sugar-free gum after eating to stimulate the flow of saliva – this will help clean away any remaining food particles

You should visit your dentist for regular check-ups. Having regular dental check-ups will ensure any plaque and calculus – previously known as tartar – is removed from your teeth, particularly in areas that are difficult to reach.

Fluoride: Is It Really Good For You?

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in water in varying amounts, depending on where in the UK you live.

It can help prevent tooth decay, which is why it’s added to many brands of toothpaste and, in some areas, to the water supply through a process called fluoridation.

Fluoride

Fluoride toothpaste

Brushing your teeth thoroughly with fluoride toothpaste is one of the most effective ways of preventing tooth decay.

A range of toothpaste is available containing different levels of fluoride. The amount of fluoride in the toothpaste can be found on the side of the tube and is measured in parts per million (ppm).

Is fluoride safe?

There have been some concerns that fluoride may be linked to a variety of health conditions. Reviews of the risks have so far found no convincing evidence to support these concerns. However, a condition called dental fluorosis can sometimes occur if a child’s teeth are exposed to too much fluoride when they’re developing.

What’s The Best Age For Braces?

The purpose of orthodontic treatment is to make the best of your teeth.

This includes straightening your teeth so you’re able to care for your teeth and gums more easily, and improving your bite so you can eat more comfortably. And your smile will benefit, too.

Treatment almost always involves using braces to straighten crooked, crowded or protruding teeth, close gaps between teeth, and correct the bite so the top and bottom teeth meet when the mouth is closed.

What’s the best age to have braces?

The ideal age to have braces is usually around 12 or 13, while a child’s mouth and jaws are still growing.

The opportunity for improvement in an adult is more limited and treatment is likely to take longer.

4 Myths And Facts About Sleep Apnea

People talk a lot about sleep and associate a lot of myths with it. We just don’t hear them often but also experience them a lot of times. Some may be laughed off as “old wives tale” but some myths are based on incorrect information and can prove to be dangerous for us. Here is a list of common myths debunked about sleep complied by National Sleep Foundation.

Myth 1: Just snoring is sleep apnea.

Snoring sure is a sign of sleep apnea but both of these are different things. Sleep apnea can actually cause a person’s breath to pause up to 400 times throughout the night. These interruptions may last for anywhere between 10 to 30 seconds.

Myth 2: Sleep apnea is not life-threatening

Sleep interruptions are capable of wrecking your body, mind and basically the whole day day-after-day. When you haven’t slept enough and sound, you put yourself at the risk of injuries at work, road accidents, heart attacks, and heart ailments.

Myth 3: Sleep apnea doesn’t block your breath.

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea that occurs when the airway is blocked by your tongue, tonsils or other tissues at the back of your throat. It stops the air when you try to breathe.

Myth 4: Sleep apnea is a disease of the old

A medical estimate states that in US, more than 18 million people are affected by sleep apnea. Most commonly, people above the age of 40 suffer from sleep apnea but the disorder can affect people of all ages. Being overweight, male, African-American or Latino puts you at an increased risk of suffering from sleep apnea. It also can be inherited and runs in families.

Allergy to Latex

Dental workers are particularly at risk of hand dermatitis because of continuous glove use and frequent washing of hands. In all, it can affect up to one in three healthcare workers.1 Hand dermatitis is a general term describing three different skin reactions: irritation; delayed hypersensitivity; and immediate hypersensitivity.

Allergy to Latex

Seek help

If you suspect hand dermatitis or latex allergy seek medical advice from your medical practitioner, local occupational health expert or dermatologist. This is particularly important if you think you may have become sensitised to latex. Latex allergy can be potentially life-threatening and expert advice must be sought immediately.

A Tip for the Sweet Tooth

A Tip for the Sweet Tooth
You’ve probably heard someone refer to their “sweet tooth” as their reason for loving sugary treats. But is there really such a thing? While it’s not an actual type of tooth, it turns out that your cravings for sugary foods might be more than just your preferences.

Vitamins, Minerals and Your Teeth

Proper nutrition is beneficial for your whole body, including your teeth and gums. By ingesting the right vitamins through food or supplements, you can help protect your oral health. Here are five essential vitamins for teeth and gum health.

1. Calcium

Calcium isn’t just good for your bones, it’s good for your teeth, too. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) explains that calcium helps form and maintain healthy teeth.

2. Phosphorus

Phosphorous is another important vitamin for healthy teeth. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that besides calcium, you have more of phosphorous than any other mineral in the body, and most of it is in your teeth. It’s necessary for the maintenance and repair of all the body’s tissues. When it comes to your mouth, phosphorus works with calcium to keep your teeth strong.

3. Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a big role in keeping your teeth healthy. This micronutrient tells your intestines to absorb the calcium you’ve eaten and moved it into your bloodstream. Delta Dental explains that without enough vitamin D, your body will leach calcium out of your bones.

4. Vitamin C

While many vitamins are good for your teeth, others, like vitamin C, are good for your gums. According to the Mayo Clinic, vitamin C is needed for the formation of blood vessels and other key tissues that support your teeth. The nutrient is also important for healing. When people have severe vitamin C deficiencies, they can experience bleeding gums. That’s how important vitamin C is to your gum health.

5. Vitamin A

You may have heard that vitamin A is good for your eyes, but it’s also great for your mouth, explains the NIH. It helps form and maintain tissues like teeth and mucus membranes.

Advantages of Dental Implants

If you’re thinking about dental implants to replace a missing tooth or teeth, the chances are that you may have some questions. Are they the best option for you? Are dental implants expensive? Are you a suitable candidate? Will your dental implants look natural?

Advantages of Dental Implants

Dental implants look like a natural tooth

Once a dental implant is fitted with its prosthetic tooth, the result looks completely natural. The prosthetic tooth sits flush to the gum line, so no-one will be able to spot which are your real teeth and which are restorations.

Dental implants behave like a natural tooth

One of the greatest benefits of dental implants is that they behave like natural teeth, providing a strength and function that is unrivaled by other restorations. Because the dental implant itself is anchored firmly in your jaw bone, much like a natural root, it gives the false tooth stability.

Dental implants can prevent bone loss

One of the side effects of losing a tooth is that you also begin to lose bone mass around the missing tooth site. This is because there is no longer a root there to encourage the ossification/strengthening of the bone. By placing a dental implant in your jaw bone, it stimulates new bone growth through a process called osseointegration. This can help to prevent future bone loss.

Dental implants support your facial structure

Following on from point 3 above, it’s a bone loss that can give people with missing teeth a sunken, aging appearance around the mouth that goes on to impact the structure of the whole face. By helping to keep your jaw bones strong, dental implants can help to preserve your facial structure.

Dental implants are long-lasting

Like your natural teeth, with the right care, dental implants have the potential to last a lifetime.

Abscessed Tooth

A dental abscess is a collection of pus that can form inside the teeth, in the gums, or in the bone that holds the teeth in place. It’s caused by a bacterial infection.

Abscessed Tooth

An abscess at the end of a tooth is called a periapical abscess. An abscess in the gum is called a periodontal abscess. Dental abscesses are often painful but aren’t always. In either case, they should be looked at by a dentist.

It’s important to get help as soon as possible because abscesses don’t go away on their own. They can sometimes spread to other parts of the body and make you ill.