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Fresh Talk For Your Mouth

As a teen, you've got plenty to do -- going to school, homework, participating in after-school activities, spending time with friends, perhaps working a job, and other time commitments. Caring for your appearance also is a top priority, including your teeth. By doing so, you're rewarded with a bright, winning smile that really attracts attention!

Sometimes I Come Home So Tired After Long, Busy Days, I Don't Feel Like Brushing My Teeth. Does it Really Matter?

Yes, it does! If you haven't brushed your teeth since the morning, your mouth is filled with cavity-causing bacteria. When the sugar and starch from the day's food, snacks, or drinks combine with plaque (that sticky film on your teeth), an acid is produced. That acid attacks your tooth enamel. If this is repeated often, those acid attacks can break down enamel and cause cavities while you sleep. So, those few extra minutes it takes to brush your teeth really are important for cavity prevention.

What Can I Do to Make Sure My Breath Is Really Fresh?

Commercial products claim they will make your breath fresher, but the only way to make sure your breath is truly fresh is to practice good oral hygiene. In fact, too many breath mints and hard candies with sugar can lead to tooth decay. If you are constantly using breath mints, breath sprays, or mouth rinses in an effort to cover up bad breath, you may have a problem that needs correction.

If you neglect daily hygiene over time, bad breath can become a symptom of more serious dental problems. Teeth that are not cleaned properly become a place for bacteria to multiply in your mouth, causing cavities and gum disease. Gum disease produces bad breath and that's gross! So brush, floss, and brush or scrape your tongue.

If you smoke, bad breath comes with the habit. Smoking also puts you at an increased risk for developing gum disease. Brushing and flossing your teeth may slow the development of gum disease but smoking can lead to serious oral health problems, including oral cancer.

Can Dieting or Taking Medications Affect My Oral Health?

Hunger can contribute to bad breath. This is because of the chemical changes that occur as your body turns fat and protein into the energy it needs. Chemical changes caused by taking prescription or over-the-counter medications can also affect mouth odor.

Isn't a Mouth guard Just for Those Who Wear Braces?

No! Every year, more than 200,000 people are treated by dentists and oral surgeons for sports-related injuries, including broken and knocked-out teeth, concussions, jaw fractures, and neck and head trauma. Many of these could be avoided if athletes and sports enthusiasts used a mouth guard. Anyone participating in sports, especially contact sports, should wear protective mouth guards for safety.

Different types of mouth guards provide various advantages and degrees of protection -- from off-the-shelf to custom-fitted.

If you let good oral care habits slip away, you might be setting yourself up for some undesirable or painful events. Taking care of your teeth by brushing at least twice a day, cleaning between your teeth, avoiding smoking, and protecting yourself from injury by wearing a mouth guard does make a big difference. It matters to your mouth -- just a few minutes daily for clean teeth, fresh breath, and a magical smile!

by Brian J. Gray, DDS, MAGD, FICO

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Bad Kid Dental Care Habits

From thumb sucking to wiping their noses on their sleeves. Let's face it - kids have a lot of bad habits. While some of these habits amount to little more than lack of social grace, others can lead to more serious health problems. A few can even result in severe dental problems. Here are three of some of the most serious bad kid dental care habits leading to dental problems in children!

Thumb and Pacifier Sucking

Sure, it isn't attractive when your little one sucks his or her thumb, but child dental care issues (that result from prolonged practice not to mention concerns about the spreading of germs) can be quite serious. Chronic thumb and pacifier sucking could cause the child to have buck teeth, which would require orthodontic treatment down the line. Most children will stop this habit on their own between ages 2 and 4, but there's no guarantee. Try to intervene early on by instructing your child not to continue with the habit. If all else fails, there are certain topical products that leave a bitter taste in the child's mouth, dissuading the behavior.

Going to Bed With a Bottle

So often we imagine babies snuggled up in a crib, clinging to stuffed animals and a bottle. Like thumb sucking, some children tend to suck the bottle while asleep, leading to the same orthodontic issues listed above. What's more, putting any liquid apart from water in the bottle allows tooth- and gum-destroying bacteria to rest in the mouth for extended periods of time. Your best bet is to skip the bottle altogether. If that isn't possible, dilute the liquid a bit more each night with water until all that remains is water.

Swallowing Toothpaste

Toothpaste manufacturers have gone to great lengths to provide consumers with a product that not only fights plaque and gum disease, but also tastes great - sometimes a little too great. Children, particularly young children, are prone to swallowing toothpaste when brushing. It's often the result of using too much toothpaste. The problem? Too much fluoride is ingested into the child's body, causing a condition known as Fluorosis. Fluorosis allows white or brown spots to form on the teeth in severe cases.

This is actually a bad habit that is fairly easy to break. Try spending some time with the child explaining that a pea size drop of toothpaste is adequate and teach them how to brush, rinse and spit like a pro.

Understanding and breaking these habits early will help you and your child establish a good oral hygiene regimen. If you have questions about how to properly care for your child's teeth, or if you think your child's bad dental habits have resulted in harm, schedule an appointment with a kid dentist!

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.