Vitamins That Improve Teeth and Gum Health

For better health of your body, you need proper nutrition. Good nutrition also helps in improving health of your teeth and gums. Among other nutrients, vitamins are the ones which can specifically be used for improving the health of oral cavity. Having that said, below mentioned are some vitamins which you can use to improve the health of your teeth and gums.

Calcium

We all know how important calcium is for bone health. Teeth are also the bones. The matter of fact is that direct exposure of teeth to supply of calcium can help in strengthening of dental structure in pretty nicer way. In order to get adequate supply of calcium, you need to consume foods which would absorb well in the body. Milk and yogurt are those foods which are not only rich in calcium but they also absorb well in the body. Canned salmon and sardines also contain calcium in good amount. Vegan foods, which are high in calcium, include green leafy vegetables, blackstrap molasses and fortified cereals.

Phosphorus

After calcium, the nutrient which is present in our body in abundance is phosphorus. This nutrient is very helpful for teeth. For good overall health, phosphorus mainly helps in the repair of body tissues. For teeth, phosphorus works with calcium to improve strength.

Phosphorus is mainly contained by protein-rich foods such as meat, eggs, legumes, lentils and dairy products. Whole grains and dry fruits also contain fair amount of phosphorus.

Vitamin D

When it comes to keeping your teeth healthy, vitamin D is the micronutrient which you cannot ignore. The main job of this vitamin is to instruct intestines to absorb calcium you have eaten. After that, the calcium gets added into the bloodstream. Milk and breakfast cereals usually have high content of vitamin D.

Vitamin C

While a lot of vitamins are good for teeth, vitamin C is particularly helpful in maintaining and improving health of gums. Study suggests that vitamin C can be helpful in formation of blood vessels and other tissues in your gums in order to support your teeth well. Furthermore, this nutrient also helps in the healing process. Without adequate amount of vitamin C, your gums may be more susceptible to bleed. The major source of vitamin C usually lies in vegetables.

Vitamin A

While you may have heard about importance of vitamin A for eyes, it is also good for the health of your oral cavity. Tissues of teeth and mucus membranes are supported well by vitamin A.

How to take these vitamins?

For optimal health, you need to make sure that you get all your vitamins from natural food resources. Supplements should be avoided as much as possible. if you thing that you require vitamins from supplements, you can ask your dentist.

What to Do if you Forget the Toothpaste

 The worst has happened. You want to brush your teeth, but you don’t have any toothpaste. You may wonder if there is something you can do. This can happen a lot when you’re traveling. Maybe you threw it inside your checked bag, and they lost it. or maybe you just have rancid breath. Here are some of the best hacks to clean up the teeth in order to freshen all of this, without the aid of toothpaste. 

Ask for others. 

This is something that is good to try, and it doesn’t hurt you.

A lot of hotels do offer toothpaste complimentary. You can go down there and ask for this. Sometimes, you may have coworkers that come more prepared than you ever will, and they can give you some great toothpaste. You can also ask your best friend who seems to have everything inside their bag, especially if you’re in a pinch. 

Brush with some Mouthwash 

This is actually a totally valid way of cleaning your teeth. While it doesn’t get rid of the plaque, if you do use toothpaste with mouthwash, it actually will get that plaque that’s lingering there. Plus, you’ve got super fresh breath out of this, making it even easier! 

Water to Brush 

Brushing with just water is actually a valid way to clean up the teeth. This removes the food that’s stuck on and between the teeth. It also gets rid of the plaque too. The only thing that this doesn’t do, is freshen the breath, so you probably are going to want to pop a breath mint if your breath smells bad. 

Brushing with Sea Salt 

Sea slat is great.  It’s actually a natural antibacterial, and it neutralizes the acids within the mouth. It’s also great for gums that are swollen too.

It also will boost your saliva production, which actually washes the bacteria out naturally. Mixing about half a teaspoon of the sea salt back into some water that’s warm in order to combine all of this, and then dipping the toothbrush into this solution is a good way for you to take care of the teeth. 

Salt also is great for getting rid of stains on the surface, and it’s one that does work.

The one downside to this means, is that it can actually tear apart your enamel if you brush a little bit too hard, so keep that in mind.

Keep Extra toothbrushes around. 

Final; y, if you’re someone who cleans up their mouth at the first chance that they get, keep around those tiny toothbrushes that are so small they fit in the pocket. 

The cool thing about this, is that you don’t necessarily need toothpaste or water, but it does come with a handy gel that’s in the center. You’ll be able to toss this once you’ve used this.

They come in big packages too, so if you’re someone who wants to always keep a toothbrush on hand whenever they need a freshening, this is the best way to do it, for it offers a lot of great means to help you clean up your mouth, and make you feel good.

When you’re trying to keep your breath and mouth clean, it can be a challenge. This is especially true, given the way that there are so many different means to do so. If you’re someone who struggles with taking care of their teeth, or forget a toothbrush, try these different hacks. You’ll be able to keep your breath minty fresh and clean for the long term as well too.

How long will my Bridge Last

If you’ve gotten a dental bridge, you probably want to replace those teeth to make them function like the real thing, and to make them last the length that your real teeth do too.  Are they able to last a long time with the dental bridge? How can you make the lifespan better?  All those answers are here. 

Removable Vs. Fixed bridges 

When you’ve got bridges, you have two types: the removable ones, and the fixed ones. Removable is pretty simple. it’s removed, and they’re usually clipped onto the current teeth that you have, and your dentist files them down.  If you want to get this, you do have to clean every single day, taking them out. They tend to cost a lot lower, and they won’t require you to get surgery either. You can get fixed bridges too, one with the bridge that caps right over the tooth naturally, or there is one that’s put on each side, and one of them does get cemented.

There are also implants that you need to have put on via surgery directly to where the jawbone is. 

Over 3 million people in America alone have some form of dental implants, and these implants tend to last a long time. they get put into the bone, Osseo integrating where the bone gets fused to the metal, offering support, and allowing you to speak and eat like how you would normally. 

These can take a bit longer, and usually, after the implant is fastened onto there, there’s a pole that’s put on there, and then of course, the crown.

This is something that a lot of people have looked into as it can prevent the shifting of those empty spaces and reduces the rate of TMJ in the body.

How long do they last? 

There are various amounts of time, and this is something that’s really just impacted based on the diet you have, your oral care, and also, how you take care of it, and what sorts of activities you do. Usually, the removable ones last up to seven years, but if you do visit the dentist on the regular and take care of your teeth, they can last over a decade. This is something that you should be mindful of, since if they last longer than a decade, they might even last a whole lifetime. 

How to Care for this 

Caring for this is important, as it offers you good hygiene, in the same manner that you would your actual teeth. The goal is to brush these twice daily, floss these between the teeth either with interdental cleaners, or through using water flossers once a day.  You may also want to consider using tongue scrapers and mouth rinses, in order to ensure that everything is cleaned up. 

Another thing that you should do is see a dentist, since they can check and clean the teeth, ensuring that they look perfect, no matter what.

They also will give you everything that you need to know to care for the bridge health, so you’re not left hung to dry.

If you’re worried about your bridge getting gross, make sure that if it’s removable, you remove this, and then you want to clean it the same way you would anything else. 

Make sure that you brush it the same way you would a normal toothbrush, and consider denture cleaners too, but be mindful of anything that’s abrasive.

Don't leave the bridge in denture solutions or in water, as this can cause it to rust. 

Take care of it, and you’ll be able to make it last.

Keeping Salivary Glands Healthy

Saliva is a part of the normal activities that you do, and thanks to that unique composition, you were able to stimulate your taste buds, and also have a better chewing and swallowing experience, without it being dangerous. Why does it matter? What are the components, and how do they work together? Read on to find out. 

Function and Location 

In your mouth, you have six primary glands, with three on each part of the mouth that create saliva. These are known as the parotid glands, and secret saliva into the mouth, above where your upper molars are.   The submandibular glands create ducts in the jaw area between those molars that are lower, and the sublingual does empty the saliva under the tongue.  Enzymes within the saliva are what start the process of digestion prior to you even having it in your stomach. This happens during chewing, where it softens and then lubricates the food to swallow better. Saliva also helps to moisten the mouth so that you can speak better.

It also works to wash away the bad bacteria in the teeth, lowering the acidity within the mouth and helping to prevent the onset of tooth decay and also gum disease. 

The  calcium, fluoride, and phosphorus that are found within saliva also work to repair the enamel too. 

Components of Saliva 

Saliva is something that’s produced in our mouth, and we make about 600 milliliters every single day. Almost all of it is water, with less than 1% of this being calcium, sodium, potassium, immunoglobulins, proteins, magnesium, and also mucins and enzymes. They are all parts of saliva, and while only a small percentage, they are vital for sustaining the health of the mouth and body.

Below are each part: 

• Proteins: they are the second leading component, and made up to help with eliminating bacteria, and protecting the teeth. They also may help with tasting since they naturally interact with those taste receptors within the mouth.

• Enzymes: they are found within saliva and are proteins which are specifically responsible for starting various reactions within the body that aid with the digestive processes.   For instance, there are enzymes that break down the fats and starches placed in food in your mouth. 

• Mucin: this is like what you feel when you have mucus buildup when you get colds, but it also does work with digestion too. It’s a protein that’ll help with swallowing food, and also keeps the mouth nice and lubricated. 

• Electrolytes: these are the calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which are used to harden and strengthen the enamel of the area, reducing cavity risk. 

Keeping the Salivary Glands healthy 

Here are the different things you need to do to keep the salivary glands nice and healthy: 

• Limit tobacco and smoking 

• Limit the intake of alcohol and avoid using recreational drugs 

• Monitor your health conditions such as diabetes 

• Let doctors know if you’ve got a medication that’ll cause dry mouth 

• Talk to the doctor about ways to prevent snoring and breathing via the mouth at night 

• Maintain proper oral hygiene in order to reduce mouth bacteria. 

• See the doctor when you see different infections 

• Make sure to stay hydrated through drinking water 

Your salivary glands are important and if they start to dry out, it can be a problem and lead to infections. Taking care of them now aids you immensely in the production of saliva, and keeping them healthy, so don’t forget to take care of them whenever you can do so for your own health.

What Makes your tongue Gray

Normally, tongues are pink and healthy, and you may notice that it’s a varying degree. It’s usually not something that you think about the most, and usually, your teeth are the primary focus. But if you see it become grayish, concerns might be there. Some people may wonder what the cause of a gray tongue is, and whether you should worry about this. Here, we’ll go over what it is, the risk factors, and the treatments. 

It’s Usually Leukoplakia 

This is a condition where you get gray and white patches that appear within the mouth. They may be on your tongue, or on the gums and cheeks. They’re usually not painful and you might not even notice it, unless you look at the tongue, or you scrape all of this off.

If you smoke a lot, have lots of alcohol, or like to chew tobacco, you’re usually not going to get this.  It’s not something that you shouldn’t pay mind to, but for the most part, it’s not dangerous. Untreated though, you might get oral cancer. 

Oral Lichen Planus 

This is an inflammatory condition that affects some parts of your body creating bumps that are reddish-purple, and they may be rashes too.

This usually creates gray and lacy lesions on the tongue, and this can usually create ulcers in some people, sores, or a sensation that it’s burning.

Most of the time, you usually won't even be able to determine how this is  caused, but this happens usually when there are immune responses. If your immune system is weakened, you also may have some risk for this.

There are other triggers too, including: 

• The flu vaccine 

• Some chemicals and anagram metals 

• Hepatitis C

• Some pain relievers like ibuprofen or arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and blood pressure medication 

This is usually not harmful, but usually about 1% of the cases account for oral cancer 

Oral Thrush 

This is basically candida, and it’s a yeast. This is basically a fungus that’s present naturally within our mouths, but when it’s overgrown, it can cause problems over time. This also happens to babies and adults that have immune systems which are weakened. This usually creates patches that are white, with a cottage cheese texture on them, including where your tongue is.

They’re usually not totally removed easily, and usually, it’s bleeding and red. You shouldn’t get rid of this yourself. You should definitely go see your doctor, as it can be caused by immune systems which are weakened, cancer, diabetes, and even some antibiotic resistance due to years of poor treatment and imbalance. 

Bad Oral hygiene 

Finally, you may just have bad oral hygiene that’s causing this.  You may have some possible inflammation in your tongue papillae, the little hairy projections, and they become inflamed due to the bad oral hygiene. These cells get trapped, and that causes an appearance of a white coating.  Usually, it also comes with bad breath too. 

The best way to treat this is to see your dentist, as they can offer you the ideal treatment.

Most of the time, they’ll look it over to make sure it doesn’t turn into cancer, and they’ll ask you to quit those lifestyle habits like smoking and alcohol for now.  Usually, lichen planus goes away naturally, but there are some gels which help.

For the most part, oral thrush is treated by prescriptions, depending on the situation.

The bet way to treat this yourself, is to make sure that you take care of your teeth by brushing and flossing and making sure that you clean your tongue. 

Sleep and Oral Health

Sleep is something that you might not think naturally contributes to oral health, but it can be. When you have a good sleep, your body’s working well. when you don’t, it impacts the immunity and it might cause bacteria to start to seep in.   

But, did you know that your oral health might be why you aren’t getting sleep. If you are constantly getting up feeling more tired than usual, despite getting more than enough sleep, there is a chance that you might have an oral health disorder impacting the sleep that you are getting.

Here’s what you’ve got to do if you do have this, and what might be going on.

The Conditions Affecting Teeth and sleep 

There are some conditions you might not even realize that are going on.

One of them is sleep apnea. 

This is when, while you’re sleeping, the airways close.   It is attributed to snoring, but many times, people are shaken awake, and then they go back to sleep.   In severe cases, you might not breathe for a little bit, until your body wakes you up.

The problem with sleep apnea is that it can be a deadly problem. It causes you to not breathe while you sleep, which is one of them. but it also contributes to heart disease, heart failure, stroke, arrhythmia, and also may cause sudden oxygen drops that strain your cardiovascular system.

It also causes high blood pressure and increases insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

There are also mental health issues that come with this, and you might be irritable, anxious, or quick to anger.

Finally, there is daytime fatigue, which causes fatigue and irritability because you’re not getting the restorative sleep you need.

The other condition is bruxism. This is where you grind your teeth in your sleep. It might come along with sleep apnea but tends to be its own thing.   Over time, this causes the teeth to wear down, headaches, jaw pain, TMJ issues, and also gum recession. It might also cause insomnia and depression. 

Treatments for This 

Most of the time, when you have this problem, you should see a doctor immediately. Sometimes regular doctors may find this when assessing your cardiovascular health, or they might notice a click in your TMJ. 

With bruxism, the solution is mouthguards while at night, to prevent the grinding of the teeth. You might need aligners such as orthodontics to help with the problems as well.

For sleep apnea, your doctor might order a sleep study to see what’s really going on with your sleep patterns. From there, you might get a machine, such as a CPAP machine, which delivers air to you while you sleep, and keeps the mouth naturally open.

Now most of the time, with sleep hygiene, it might be due to environmental issues. Try to reduce blue light before going to bed, and don’t eat too much prior to sleep. If you’re stressed out, try to figure out ways to reduce the stressful patterns in the body. 

Overall though, these patterns are entirely preventable, and if you are able to see that you are grinding a lot, seeing a doctor will help. For sleep apnea, if you find out you’re snoring a lot, you should see a doctor.

Maintaining good dental health leads to better sleep and a better life. Start to maintain your dental health today and get what you need, so that you can catch the Zs that you deserve, and also reduce the prevalence of the issues that come with the sleep disorders that have plagued you all of this time.