How to Counteract Tooth Aging

Have you ever noticed that your teeth begin to lose their natural brightness as you grow older? Or maybe your once beautiful white teeth now look grey? As any other part of human body, teeth are subject to changes that come with age. Older people are more likely to suffer various gum diseases or change of color of teeth. Luckily, there are some natural methods that can help you effectively cope with these problems. If you want your teeth to be healthy and look nice, follow the recommendations given in this article.

Checking medications

Certain types of medications can make you more susceptible to some gum diseases. As some medicines tend to reduce the amount of saliva in the mouth cavity, they increase the risk of gum diseases as well as bad breath and tooth decay. Antidepressants and antihistamines are the two types of medicines that can suppress the production of saliva and make your mouth dry. To avoid such problems, you should be careful with the medications you are taking and ask your dentist about the possible consequences of such treatment.

Chewing sugar free gum

Sugar free chewing gums are meant to stimulate the production of saliva which is essential for prevention of tooth decay. Xylitol which is used as a sweetener in most chewing gums helps to reduce the number of cavities and prevent caries. Though it is desirable to clean your teeth after every meal it is also possible to chew a gum instead. The effect will be the same.

Watching what you eat and drink

Some drinks like coffee, tea, red wine, and cranberry juice can cause stains on teeth. To avoid the unwanted effect you may clean the teeth after you have drunk one of the abovementioned liquids. You can also use a straw to minimize the contact of liquid with your teeth. Tooth discoloration may also be caused by consumption of soy sauce, blueberries, balsamic vinegar, beets or curry.

Using natural tooth lightening remedies

There is one unexpected natural way to whiten teeth and counteract their aging you might have never heard about. It is strawberry. All you have to do is to rub the surface of your teeth with a piece of fresh strawberry. Malic acid contained in strawberry helps to brighten teeth and prevent their discoloration. One more recipe that can be used to whiten your teeth is a mixture of lemon essential oil and baking soda. Lemon helps to bleach teeth and make them look brighter while baking soda can restore the color of teeth (if used regularly).

Giving up smoking

It is not a secret that smoker often have problems with teeth. Smoking leads to discoloration of teeth, blocks the flow of saliva and promotes the development of numerous gum diseases. It also reduces the amount of vitamin C which is essential for healthy gums. If you think that smokeless tobacco is less harmful you are very wrong as it has a much worse influence on teeth and gums.

No matter how effective all these recommendations are, it does not mean you can forget about regular visits to your dentist. Do it every 6 months to keep your teeth healthy.

Nowadays it is almost impossible to find a person who does not know about the importance of regular tooth brushing and flossing. However, many people ignore tongue brushing. Though it does not take much time or effort, many people just do not practice brushing their tongue. Let`s discuss the role of this procedure.

Dentists recommend to clean the teeth after each meal as it helps to remove plaque from the surface of teeth and from the area along the gum lines. Plaque is the food you eat. It can stick to the rough surface of teeth and eventually cause caries or various gum diseases. That is why the food particles that can remain on your teeth after meals are to be removed.

Plaque is usually formed on or between the teeth and above the gum line because these areas are rough. The surface of tongue is smooth. It is also washed by saliva which is a natural mouthwash and an antibacterial matter. Saliva helps to remove food particles and all kinds of bacteria. Because of the function of saliva there is no need to brush the tongue every day as it does not affect the risk of development of gum diseases or cavities.

We have already discussed that tongue brushing cannot help you prevent gum diseases. However, it might turn out to be very helpful if you have bad breath. While the front part of the tongue is not the best place for bacteria, the back part of it is not cleaned properly with the flow of saliva. Bacteria that grow and develop in an environment like that can cause bad breath. When you brush your tongue you should pay special attention to cleaning the back part of it. This will help to remove bacteria.

When you clean your tongue with a toothbrush it may cause gagging. Sometimes this unpleasant effect can be minimized if you try using a tongue scraper instead. It can be ordered online or bought in a drugstore. The scraper makes the procedure more effective. Brushing the tongue does not take much time or effort: a few passes with a scraper are enough to clean the surface of the tongue. An additional means that can be used to fight bad breath is a mouthwash. It neutralizes sulfur producing bacteria and helps to cope with the problem of breath odor. So in most cases the two simple procedures of regular brushing the tongue and using a mouthwash can help you get rid of bad breath and make your life better.

To crown it all, tongue brushing can turn out to be an effective procedure if you have bad breath. Pay special attention to the back part of the tongue. If you do not have such problems and clean your teeth regularly, brushing the tongue will not help you prevent or cope with gum diseases or cavities.