How To Keep a Healthy Smile

  It is very common for people to neglect their teeth.  I have found that quite often when a person has no pain in their mouth and decent looking teeth that they assume heir teeth are in good shape. These are usually the people who have underlying gum disease and undiagnosed decay.     In order to keep your smile healthy and teeth bright pay attention to your teeth and gums.  If you are pregnant higher levels of hormones can cause puffy, tender gums that can increase the risk of gum infection.  Grinding and or clenching your teeth can lead to severe wear, cracking and chipping of tooth structure.  Many medications can cause dry mouth,  which increases your risk of tooth decay.   Drinking lots of water, chewing sugarless gum and using a fluoride rinse at night can help protect your teeth against reduced saliva.  I have discussed the dangers of smoking  but I will mention it again.  Smokers are two to three times more likely to get periodontal disease.  I wont even go into what smoking can do to the color of your teeth.  Sitting in a dental chair isn’t  anybody’s  favorite thing to do but if you go for regular dental check-ups you will learn how to keep your smile healthy!