HEALTHY FOOD ITEMS LIST - BEST FOODS FOR DENTAL HEALTH

HEALTHY FOOD ITEMS LIST- BEST FOODS FOR DENTAL HEALTH.

HEALTHY FOOD

Everyone wants to know about healthy food items to have in their daily diet. When it comes to your dental health here are some best foods for dental health. Healthy food, healthy diet leads to healthy you.

  Healthy food items can be incorporated in your diet to prevent tooth decay and to maintain healthy oral cavity. I am pointing out some best foods for dental health. 

   There is a popular saying " You are what you eat", this saying is important for your body as well as your mouth. If you eat healthy food items you will have a healthy mouth. In people with poor healthy diet, dental disease progress faster. 

There are certain healthy and best foods for your dental health.

HEALTHY FOOD CHART FOR TEETH AND GUMS:- 

 When you choose a healthy diet for your teeth, you are doing favor to your teeth and gums. In return they will favor you with a beautiful and healthy smile.

Best and healthy foods are given below-

FRUITS - Apples, oranges, strawberries, kiwi, banana and pears are considered to be the best foods for your dental health as they are rich sources of vitamins and minerals like vit A, phosphorus.

Strawberry contain malic acid which is a natural enamel whitener.

Apples clean away plaque and freshen breathe.

Pears neutralize the acids present in saliva.

DAIRY PRODUCTS - Milk, yogurt, cheese àre rich sources of calcium and proteins, which help in maintaining the healthy teeth and gums. The calcium in cheese and calcium and phosphorus in milk, helps to put back these mineral on the teeth which may be lost due to  other foods.

VEGETABLES AND GREENS - Food like carrots, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, cauliflower, green beans and peas are good for oral health. Tomato contain natural lycopene which stimulates tissue health. Carrots are rich source of vitamin A. Green leafy vegetables also help to clean mouth while we eat them raw.

WATER - It is the most healthy drink for your teeth. Water especially, fluoridated water is the best beverage for your oral health. Fluoridated water helps to make teeth more resistent to caries. Water flushes off all the acids produced by the bacteria.

GREEN TEA AND BLACK TEA - Both green tea and black tea contain polyphenols that interact with the bacteria of the plaque. These polyphenols either kill or inhibit the bacteria, preventing them from growing and producing acid that attacks the teeth.

NOURISHING NUTS - Dry fruits and nuts contain proteins and minerals that are important to overall health, they are also rich in fibers. Nuts which are low in carbohydrates are more useful, because tooth decay can be caused by acid producing bacteria that are activated by carbohydrates. Chewing nuts also stimulates salivation which reduces the risk of tooth decay.

LEAN PROTEINS - Phosphorus rich foods like meat, fish, poultry, eggs,help to strengthen the teeth and also contains important proteins  for healthy teeth.

SUGAR FREE GUM - Chewing gum sweetened with xylitol, stimulates saliva production, which washes away acids, bacteria in your mouth. Chewing gum also prevents bad breathe.

Following the best food tips from the above mentioned healthy food items list, can help you to make your teeth and gums more healthy. Just do not eat to please the hunger of your taste buds but also to keep yourself healthy.

         

          HAVE A HEALTHY SMILE😁

                   THANK YOU

IS LEMON WATER HARMFUL FOR YOUR TEETH ??

LEMON WATER

 CAN LEMON WATER BE HARMFUL 

           FOR YOUR TEETH??

       

   Who does not knows the benefits of lemon water, but no one knows that it can cause adverse effects on your teeth.   

Drinking lemon water daily early in the morning is a good health habit. Lemon water aids in digestion,providing nutrients to our body, boosts immunity, strengthens liver functions freshens breath, flushes toxins and many more.   

       So why not to have lemon water, could this be harmful and damaging to your teeth, lets find out.

  

EFFECTS OF LEMON WATER ON TEETH

Lemons are good source of vitamin C, but lemon juice is highly acidic. Lemons and lime juices are most acidic fruit juices of all with a pH of 2 - 2.6.

Enamel is the  hard protective covering of our teeth. Lemon water or juice tend to erode enamel due to its acidic effect and when your enamel erodes it become more prone to cavities and sensitivity, teeth also turns more yellowish.

Not only lemon water but other fruit juices and beverages like - 

 - Orange, Apple, grape, Amla etc.

 - white wine.

 - soda

 - sports drinks

 - tea and coffee.

Any beverage below pH of 5.5 can erode enamel.

HOW TO DRINK LEMON WATER :- 

  Lemon water have so many benefits and one drawback . So one cannot leave to drink lemon water. So what you can do to preserve your tooth enamel besides avoiding lemon water. Following are some ways :- 

- Limit the amount of lemon water, do not make intake of lemon water as your daily need, rather drink it occasionally or less regular.

- See how much lemon juice you are adding to your water, do not use a full lemon to add in a glass of water, a half slice of lemon or even less will be enough for your daily use.

- Use lemon water in diluted form, and drink this quickly rather than sipping it for long time. Don't use concentrated lemon juice or the packaged lemon juice.

- Use a straw - this will help to sip the lemon water more towards the back of your mouth making less contact with your teeth which prevent teeth from coming in contact with the acids of lemon.

- Rinse your mouth with normal plain water, every time you drink lemon water just rinse your mouth thoroughly and immediately with normal water. This will normalize your saliva and wash the acidic contents.

- Eat things that neutralizes the acid of lemon water, take dairy products like yogurt cheese or milk.

Very important, do not brush your teeth immediately after drinking lemon water. Infact do not brush for atleast an hour or more. Brushing after intake of lemon water can cause more harm to enamel.

- Use sugar free chewing gums, sweetened with xylitol. Xylitol alkalize  your mouth and neutralize  the acids. It also helps to clean the plaque.

- Even better, to brush your teeth before drinking lemon water and wait for few minutes after brushing. After brushing a healthy pellicle layer is formed which can act as a barrier against acids.

- Always use Luke warm or normal cold water, never use hot water or chilled water which can evoke the harmful effects even more.

- Do not mix sugar or other sweetening agents in the lemon water, this will promote the risk of caries even more.

   So just by keeping these simple things in mind you can enjoy your lemon water and even preserve your teeth loss. No risk to your oral health, as it's equally important.

HAVE A HEALTHY SMILE 😁

Thank You 

 REGARDS - Dr. MITALI PATEL

HOW TO KEEP YOUR TOOTH BRUSH CLEAN

 HOW TO KEEP TOOTH BRUSH GERM FREE

Tooth brush is a tool to keep your teeth clean, but how to keep your tooth brush clean, no one thinks. 

The fact is your TOOTH BRUSH is home to more than 100 million bacteria. This sounds dangerous but no need to panic as your mouth is also full of bacteria and your tooth brush will not make you sick. But you should keep your tooth brush clean to stay healthy. Illness occurs after there is an unhealthy balance of bacteria in the mouth. The thing to worry about is recurring illness.
There are several things to keep in mind to take care of your tooth brush, WAYS TO KEEP YOUR TOOTH BRUSH CLEAN :-

•  Don't brush where you flush, you should never store your tooth brush close to or above the toilet seat because every time you flush bacteria are released in the air and no one want that bacteria to get on their toothbrush. Tooth brush should be atleast 3 feet away from your toilet, more if possible don't store your brush in the bathroom.
  

• Tooth brush holders, as well can pick up the bacteria spread by flushing. The tooth brush holders are the 3rd most germy household items. Remember to clean your tooth brush holder regularly.
  

• Do not store your tooth brush in a closed container at home, because a wet brush in a closed case is the best environment for the bacterial growth.

• While travelling keep your tooth brush in a container or a case to protect it, but be sure your tooth brush is dry before packing it in the case. 

• Store your tooth brush in an upright position, this allows your brush to dry faster.
  

• Do not let your brush come in contact with other brushes. They can contaminate each other, by transferring bacteria of other person's mouth.
  

• Shake your tooth brush dry after washing, rub the bristles slightly to remove extra water so it dries faster.
  

• Do not soak your tooth brush in any type of cleaner or mouthwash.
  

• Rinse your tooth brush thoroughly before and after every use and place it carefully in a clean and dry place. Never place your tooth brush on the floor.

• Take extra precautions if someone in your home  is sick, keep their tooth brush far from other brushes to prevent infection.

 Now you are intelligent enough to take care of you tooth brush. So keep your tooth brush and tooth both in proper way.

     HAVE A HEALTHY SMILE😁

    THANK YOU

REGARDS : Dr. MITALI PATEL

WHITENING TOOTH PASTES - DO THEY WORK?

         Advanced whitening tooth paste                                                                                         Are they useful ?

    When it comes to the color of the teeth, everyone wants a full bright white smile. And to fulfill this need, using a whitening tooth paste is the most common, easy, cheap but not correct way to improve the color of the teeth.

WHAT'S A WHITENING TOOTH PASTE(WTP) ?

    A regular tooth paste is designed to remove some surface stains and improve the health of your mouth. A whitening tooth paste(wtp) is designed to help make your smile brighter by removing even more surface stains with some extra ingredients.
Wtp has two types of ingredients:
-  Abrasives- These ingredients attempt to polish your teeth by just scrubbing the tooth surface and also damaging the protective layer.
-  Chemicals- Applying whitening chemicals attempt to breakdown stains through chemical interactions.
    Actually most of the tooth pastes available in the market have some abrasives to help clean your teeth. But these wtp have more amount of abrasives and some extra added chemicals than the normal toothpastes. Which can be harmful for your teeth.

HOW DO WHITENING TOOTH PASTES WORK ??

 The abrasives present in wtp remove the superficial stains by scrubbing more hard on enamel. The chemical present are the bleaching agents which sort of bleaches out the dark stains present on the outer most layer. These wtp works only on extrinsic stains having no effect on the deeper stains. After you start using a wtp, it can take several weeks for you to see any difference. Wtp does not change the actual colour of the teeth.

RESULTS OF WHITENING TOOTH PASTE -

   Wtp seems to be the most easy way to keep your teeth white, but very few dentists recommend any type of wtp because they have little to no effect. The chemicals they use need to be in contact with the teeth for atleast 20 minutes in one go to show any difference. And the abrasives remove the tooth structure by scraping away the teeth layer in long use. All over, these tooth paste have least effect on whitening your teeth.

Your teeth are the only part of your skeleton that's visible and they are also bone white. But beauty standards and the commercials make us think they should be pearly white. And there are thousands of products claim to hold the key for a brighter smile in the form of tooth pastes, and makes us think that these wtp contains a magical substance which will magically convert your teeth in shiny white by just one use, which is far impossible.

What really works??

You must watch that your teeth must be healthy rather than white. Dentists recommend, the best way to keep your teeth looking good is by keeping them healthy. If you are brushing properly for two minutes twice a day, changing your brush on time, flossing and visiting the dentist on regular basis, that gives the natural healthy look to your teeth. Just because they are not pearly white as any movie star, doesn't mean you should risk damaging your teeth. And if there are some serious issue with the color, visit a dentist for an expert advice.

                  

                HAVE A HEALTHY SMILE😁

THANK YOU

REGARDS : Dr. MITALI PATEL

YELLOW TEETH :- REASONS

      YELLOWNESS OF TEETH

  I  have yellow teeth, my teeth are not as white as others, i don't feel happy with the color of my teeth.

These are the most common issue of the generation. Every one expects their teeth to be as white as the white itself. But only few are happy with the color of their teeth and make efforts to keep them healthy. The reason behind your yellow teeth can be you, yourself. Find out how.

NATURAL COLOR -

               The natural color of our teeth is due to the dentin present under the outer enamel layer of our teeth. The enamel is bluish-white in color and somewhat translucent, while the dentin is yellow in color. So the mixture of these two gives the natural color of our teeth. The overall outcome will be either greyish white or light yellow. So no one is born with pearly white teeth. Also the color of teeth varies from person to person.

STAINS - What are stains?

Stains are the cause for the dark color of the teeth. Stains can be of two types:-
One is extrinsic, present on the outer surface of teeth and can be removed by brushing or professional cleaning.
Other is intrinsic, which are due to some defect in the inner layer of teeth and cannot be removed by brushing or professional cleaning.

REASONS OF YELLOW TEETH

There are several reasons for dullness of teeth shine and yellowish tone. Too much use of artificial juices, candies or food which contain food coloring can mark stains over teeth. It is very common among kids. Among adults, consumption of coffee, tea, wine, or flavored alcohol is prevalent. All these drinks contain concentrated color pigments called chromogens. These pigments affect the teeth color from both inside as well as outside.

Underneath the hard, white outer shell of your teeth, called as enamel, lies a softer and less white  area called dentin. Enamel layer gets thinner and thinner by the time due to brushing, inappropriate oral care or wrong choice of food. Dentin the yellowish layer shows through. So it can be said that aging may cause enamel damage which can result in yellow color of teeth.

Tooth darkening or yellowing can be an unexpected result of certain antihistamines, antipsychotics, and high blood pressure medications. Another reason is young children are given to antibiotics like tetracycline and doxycycline when their teeth are forming which can cause discoloration of their adult teeth later in life. Chemotherapy or head and neck radiation therapy can also darken teeth. Medicine with abundant amount of active iron can also play a part in damaging teeth color.

Tobacco, weed,  betelnut, supari, tanbool, gutka are some products which can severely damage oral health including discoloration of teeth. Other causes are :-

1. Unhealthy oral hygiene

If you are not brushing your teeth regularly, it is not surprising that you have yellow teeth. Stains have enjoyed their stay in the surface of your teeth so much that they have no intention of leaving – unless you will have your teeth cleaned.

2. Age
As you get older, the external layer of your tooth enamel get wiped out that result to exposed dentin, which has natural yellow color.

3. Genetic Factor
People often misunderstood that you have yellowish teeth because of stain or because of poor oral hygiene when the truth is that it is all due to your genes. Your teeth are not stained or cared for poorly; their colors are real. 

4. Foods

Some foods cause your teeth to darken. Red wine, coffee and sauces like balsamic vinegar are among the culprits. The same goes with dishes that are colored artificially. Food dyes can stay on your teeth. Even blueberries, considered as super foods, can lead to teeth discoloration. But can you completely avoid these foods? No, you can avoid staining your teeth more just by knowing them. After consuming these foods, you should make sure that you rinse your mouth in case you are not at home. But if you are, you can directly go to the washroom and brush your teeth.

5. Smoking

Smoking is bad for your health; it is also bad for your teeth. Cigarettes and other tobacco products contain nicotine that causes teeth to become yellowish or brown. Most of the time, they discolor teeth faster than coffee.

6. Disease
Certain diseases affect tooth enamel and dentin negatively that they result in the discoloration of your teeth. Additionally, some medical procedures may cause your teeth to turn yellow.

7. Trauma
When you were young, you may have suffered from fall that led to the distraction of the formation of the enamel. Because your teeth are still evolving at that time, this incidence affected the color of your teeth as they develop.

After knowing the causes, just watch out the reason of your yellow teeth and take definite steps to improve your oral health.

        
                       HAVE A HEALTHY SMILE

THANK YOU

       
         REGARDS - Dr. MITALI PATEL

MANUAL OR ELECTRONIC TOOTH BRUSH?

     Manual or Electronic tooth brush- which one is better?

   As we know there are 2 types of brushes one is manual, which we use with our hands to clean the teeth. Other is electronic tooth brush which works on battery and runs automatically to clean the teeth.

Occasionally, patients inquire as to which type of tooth brush is best? Manual tooth brush still can do a great job, choosing a right manual brush and brushing with appropriate technique still works best.
Some may claim that an electric tooth brush does a better job of cleaning your teeth than a standard tooth brush.
As long as you are able to reduce plaque build up and keep your gums healthy you can choose either of them. Lets compare both these brushes under these points :

BRISTLES - If you buy a manual brush or an electric tooth brush, you should always choose a soft bristled brush. In electric tooth brush there is a replacement head, which you have to change as you change your manual tooth brush. So comparing the cost of changing the brush every 3-4 months,electronic tooth brush will be heavy on your pockets.

FUNCTION - Manual tooth brush has been functioning well till date, as long as you use it properly. Manual tooth brush works according to us so it can have error and lack in performance.
Electronic tooth brush has a unique shape, which resembles a dental tool, oscillating, rotating and pulsating to clean the teeth. It has no manual errors. This brush is useful to everyone but especially for those who are physically disabled, old age people, arthritis patients and patients with lack of co-ordination of brain and hands, such people who cannot use their hands properly to brush by themselves, so electronic tooth brush can do the work.

COST - A normal toothbrush is much more affordable than electric one. Electronic tooth brush cost many more times than manual toothbrush. In addition to initial expense, you need to replace the removable head of the electronic tooth brush as often as you replace your normal brush [in 3-4 months] but if an electronic tooth brush helps you keep your teeth clean more effectively, then you make up the expenses of your dental bills.

LIKABILITY - When it comes to your personal choice, the best tooth brush for you is going to be the one you are most likely to use and use well. Some people may not like the vibrating sensation of electronic brush, while others may find it easy to use. Also some electric brush have a built in timer to keep a check on your brushing time, is added advantage.

EFFECTIVENESS - Among all the studies conducted, to find whether a manual tooth brush or an electronic tooth brush are more effective in removing plaque, found that, overall there was not a significant difference between both these brushes in their ability of cleaning teeth and preventing gum disease. But certain type of electronic tooth brush with rotation oscillation is more effective than manual tooth brush, plus it also has certain advantages which a manual brush do not have.

Electronic tooth brush would be more opt for children who are careless in brushing and find brushing their teeth a boring task, also for child with difficulty in brushing. As many children do not find brushing teeth interesting and tend to avoid it, an electronic brush will engage them in interest and the child will clean teeth with excitement.

Keeping these points in mind you can choose the brush of your choice. May be manual or electronic, but important is to keep brushing, for healthy teeth and gums any how.

                HAVE A HEALTHY SMILE.

THANK-YOU
REGARDS: Dr. MITALI PATEL

TOOTH BRUSH :- THE BEST ONE FOR YOU

      TOOTH BRUSH : The best you can choose

 Which tooth brush is the best?

Since we have grown, one thing we are kept reminding of is, brushing our teeth. 

As we have learnt how to brush, in my previous blog EASY AND EFFECTIVE TOOTH BRUSHING TECHNIQUE.Now the question arise which is the best tooth brush, to choose from the market.

Years years ago when tooth brush was invented, consumer didn't have many options. But now the story is totally different, whenever you go to buy a brush you get hooked up in the whole world of different brushes and you are left confused of which one to buy.

Dental experts suggest to change your tooth brush in every 3-4 months as it loses it' s functionality. Basically there are two types tooth brushes, Manual and Electronic tooth brush. 

TIPS FOR CHOOSING A TOOTH BRUSH:

Either manual or electronic tooth brush, there are certain characteristics that you should look for in whatever toothbrush you choose. Here are 4 considerations to help guide your decision in choosing right tooth brush:

1) SIZE- The best toothbrush head for you should allow you easy access to all the areas of your mouth. For most adults, toothbrush head of half inch wide and one inch tall will be the easiest to use and is effective. The large headed toothbrush will be difficult to clean the certain hard to reach areas, such as side and back of the last teeth. The handle of the tooth brush should be long and have better grip to hold it comfortably in your hand.

2) BRISTLES- ADA suggests only a soft bristle toothbrush is the best choice. It must be surprising for most of you to hear that. The only thing a medium or hard bristled brush is good for is, cleaning your toilet. Dentist never recommend patients to use medium or hard bristled brush on their teeth. Some patients who have thinner gums and sensitive teeth should use an ultra soft bristled toothbrush.

3) FLEXIBLE ANGLE - A flexible angle on the neck of a tooth brush helps prevent over brushing by bending if you're pushing down too hard. You may also prefer the flexible angle of a toothbrush to help you clean hard to reach areas of your mouth.

4) BRISTLE DESIGN - A toothbrush should always have multi-tufted bristles. A brush should have atleast 3-4 rows with 5-12 tufts in each row. Having bristles that point in different directions can help clean teeth more effectively.

BRUSH FOR CHILDREN

     

When it comes to choose the best brush for your child, it's important to opt for one that he/she will use properly and regularly.
   Kids teeth are smaller, so an age appropriate brush is always recommended. There are variety of options in manual and electronic toothbrushes for kids. To choose a good brush, try following suggestions :
- Make sure that the tooth brush has an IDA seal of approval.
- Pick a child sized toothbrush with soft bristles.
- In small kids who cannot brush properly you can go for an electronic toothbrush.
         
          HAVE A HEALTHY SMILE! 😃

THANK-YOU
REGARDS: Dr. MITALI PATEL