5 Steps to a Healthy Smile
Your smile can make you look and feel younger but it is also an indicator of overall health and well-being. Here are some habits for a more attractive, healthier smile:
Step 1: Carbohydrates break down into simple sugars, which can trigger gum disease and cavities. They are also usually chewy and stick to your teeth easily. Limiting carbs by consuming them only at mealtimes ensures that with the larger amount of food being consumed, more saliva will be produced and will help neutralize and wash the food particles away.
Step 2: Surprisingly, brushing your teeth after drinking a soda or other acidic beverage is frowned upon because the combination of the acid and abrasive brushing can erode your teeth. Instead chew on a piece of sugarless gum or rinse your mouth out with water.
Step 3: Consume more vitamin C and calcium. According to a study done by the State University of New York at Buffalo, people who consumed less than 60 mg per day of C were 25% more likely to have gum disease than people who took in 180 mg or more and people who get at least 800 mg a day of calcium are less likely to develop severe gum disease.
Step 4: Drink more tea! Green teas contain the antioxidant “catechin” that prevent plaque and reduces the signs of gum disease according to a recent article in the Journal of Periodontology.
Step 5: Kiss someone! Kissing increases the saliva in your mouth which cleanses your teeth of the bacteria that can cause cavities. Chewing gum will do the same thing, but just isn’t quite as fun!