"Smile and the world smiles with you"
A smile is contagious, a gateway to the heart. It is one of the few things that is noticed the first time we meet a person and is almost always returned with a smile.
Anyone and everyone can be the owner of a healthy smile. However, you need to make efforts for it. If you have kids at home then begin the process as soon as you can to avoid cavities. Even if you are an adult, it is never too late to begin. The process starts at the very young age of 6 months when the first set of teeth known as milk teeth start to appear. Our mouth or oral cavity has an enormous number of germs and need to be kept clean always. Here are a
few tips for you that will help you in
getting a healthy smile:-
Brushing right is important
Cleaning
- As soon as the first teeth appear, you can use a silicone finger brush to clean the infant's mouth, cheeks on the inside and tongue at least once a day.
- In case of infants who nurse with a bottle, it is advisable to clean the mouth after feeding. This ensures that milk does not stay accumulated in the mouth.
Healthy smile habits should begin early
Brushing
- In children where teeth have erupted and they still feed with a bottle, especially at night, must always rinse their mouth before going to sleep to prevent NURSING BOTTLE CARIES.
- Up to 3 years of age, almost all the milk teeth would have erupted. One-year-old and above can start using a kids toothbrush to clean their teeth. Gently supervise brushing of children and make it a habit from the very beginning to brush teeth twice a day, once in the morning and the other at bedtime. Night brushing is more important than morning brushing.
- Use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste over the toothbrush, reaching all corners of the mouth. Rinse well with water and clean your tongue which is a bed for germs. Brushing over the tongue will provide freshness of breath too. These habits for a healthy smile should begin at the earliest so that you can enjoy smiling freely for a long time.
Teach brushing to your kids
Rinsing
- Rinsing your mouth is equally important as brushing. Always rinse your mouth after snacking or a meal.
Adequate Water Intake
- Drink lots of water to stay hydrated.
Food And Diet
- Avoid sticky and sweet foods like bread, biscuits, chocolates, and toffees which stick to your teeth. These may lead to dental caries.
- Do not drink aerated or soft drinks and packaged juices as they have added sugars which adversely affect teeth.
- Have at least one seasonal fruit a day for the necessary vitamins and minerals needed by the body. It is essential for healthy gums.
Say "no" to excess chocolates
Most Important Smile Advice
Smile a lot and have
confidence in yourself. By adopting these habits, your
pretty smile will start becoming a
healthy smile as well.
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