Archive for July, 2011

looking for Teeth Whitening Tips

July 27th, 2011

What if you cant afford any of those high price cleaning products on the market today. Here I have a few home remedies you can try that is very inexpensive. 1. Water, baking soda and strawberries. First you take 4 strawberries 1/4 cup of water and 1/2 cup of baking soda, then you put them all in a blender,(make sure you take the stems off the strawberries first.) Blend on low until it is slightly pastie, then brush teeth with it and re-brush with your regular toothpaste.

This is one of my favorite since I have been doing this for the past 15 years and have not had to go to the dentist since. Three times a day swish your mouth out with hydrogen peroxide, next brush teeth with your usual brand of toothpaste.

There is a product called Gly-oxide that can be found at your local drugstore. It works well and is not as harsh as your modern cleaning kits, also it is not as expensive. In this next section I would like to point out as some are safe and effective there are others out there that is not.

1. Lemon juice: Lemon juice may do more harm than good, it has acid in it and you may end up with cavities and damaged tooth enamel. The reason lemon juice “works” is that is causes the teeth to lose calcium. Calcium is a major component of healthy teeth and once it is lost, your teeth become very susceptible to decay.

2. Wood-ash: The reason wood ash whitens your teeth is because it contains potassium hydroxide (AKA LYE). However, only hard wood ash contains significant concentrations of potassium hydroxide, soft wood ash does not. You may want to exercise caution when using hard wood ash too often as a tooth whitening agent the harshness of the potassium hydroxide could significantly damage your teeth over time.

Teeth Whitening Tips Looking After Your Teeth

July 26th, 2011

We\’ve all been brought up to brush our teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly and perhaps even use a mouthwash, but are you sure you\’re brushing and flossing correctly? Do you know whether or not your toothpaste is suitable for your needs? Is your toothbrush doing its job properly? The key to a healthy, beautiful smile is getting the basics right: practicing the best oral hygiene you can at home, and leaving the complicated procedures to your dentist.

In addition, while most of us focus on fighting cavities, it\’s gum disease we should be worrying about as adults. More teeth are lost through gum disease than through tooth decay, and it is estimated that nine out of 10 people start to show signs of gum disease by the time they are 25 years old.

Fortunately, a sound oral-hygiene regimen protects your teeth against both cavities and gum disease. The key is to commit yourself to that regimen, and then implement it correctly and effectively. Doing so, just a few minutes a day, will ensure that your teeth last a lifetime.

Teeth Anatomy 101

To best understand what you\’re doing when taking care of your teeth, it helps to have some knowledge of their basic anatomy. Your teeth have a complex, multilayered structure, as well as a supply of nerves and blood.

The tooth is divided into three main parts: the crown, the neck and the root. Enamel covers the crown of the tooth, and this smooth, hard coating is the hardest tissue in the body. It is not sensitive at all, and is usually translucent-white in color.

The main substance of the crown, neck and root of the tooth is dentine. This is a yellow-white color, and is very sensitive, as it houses the tooth\’s nerve supply.

The gums, or gingiva, are the link between the teeth and the rest of the mouth. The tiny space between the teeth and the gums is known as the gingival sulcus, and is usually no thicker than 2mm. However, as small as it is, this space is a common source of infection.

The tooth is connected to the bone in your jaw by thin fibers (periodontal ligaments), which act as shock absorbers for your teeth. The periodontal ligaments attach to the thin layer covering the root, called cementum.

Inside each tooth is a nerve cavity that houses the tooth\’s blood vessels and nerves. Blood vessels are vital because they transport essential nutrients to the tooth, and the nerves make the tooth sensitive, which is sometimes a good thing and at other times extremely painful. The nerves and blood vessels pass through the tooth into the nerve cavity by means of small channels called root canals.

Adults have 32 teeth, including four wisdom teeth, which can be divided into four types. Each of the four types has a different structure, position and function.

The eight incisors occur near the front of the mouth, and are typically used for biting. Moving outward from the centre, your canine teeth are sharper and more pointed than incisors, and help to tear off and hold your food while you are eating. They are also commonly called eye-teeth.

The premolars are next, and have two raised points that help to crush your food during chewing. Molars are a larger version of the premolars, and are used for grinding and pulping food. There are eight premolars and eight molars, plus the wisdom teeth that are simply an additional set of molars.