My Top 10 New Year Resolutions for a having a healthy Teeth in 2016

1. Brush twice daily for at least 2 mins.
2. Use a fluoride containing toothpaste.
3. Floss regularly.
4. Change my toothbrush every three months.
5. Eat less of sweets and chocolates. I will eat more fruits instead.
6. Say no to toothpicks.
7. Never open bottle tops with my teeth.
8. Relax on my bone chewing habit.
9. Go for professional cleaning every six months.
10. Visit my dentist every six months.

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Caution! Avoid opening bottle tops with your Teeth

I often cringe at the sight of anyone trying to open bottle tops with their teeth because I imagine the tooth giving way instantly. Though the teeth is very hard, it sometimes fractures when subjected to force in appropriately applied to it. When a bottle opener can not be readily found, some resort to using their teeth.

Opening bottle tops with your teeth is a bad habit that should not be encouraged as it could lead to tooth fracture with subsequent tooth loss which will cost you some money to restore.

5 Reasons you should never open Bottle tops with your teeth

1. Opening bottle tops is not part of the functions of the teeth.
2. Your tooth could chip off and become sensitive.
3. A weak part of the bottle(glass) may break off causing injury to your lip/cheek.
4. The tooth might break off requiring you to do a treatment on the tooth before placing a crown.
5. You could lose the tooth if broken beyond repair.

When next you are tempted to show off your bottle opening skills remember it's not worth it; get an opener.

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5 Reasons you need Professional Cleaning/Scaling and Polishing

Professional cleaning of the teeth otherwise known as Scaling and Polishing involves the removal of dirts that have accumulated on the teeth overtime. The accumulation may be in form of brown stains or yellowish/greenish colored tartar(calculus). The following are the reasons why you need to have your teeth cleaned professionally:

1. Regular Toothbrushing does not guarantee having a mouth free of tartar. Plaque and tartar build up in areas not easily accessible for cleaning. 
2. Prevents bad breath.
3. Removes unsightly stains caused by tobacco, tea, coffee, chlorhexidine mouthwash etc
4. Prevents gum diseases: if tartar is left to accumulate on the teeth, it irritates the gums causing gum disease. 
5. Professional cleaning improves the overall appearance of the teeth. 

Scaling and Polishing is not a painful procedure. Dentists make use of special instruments which take off these hardened particles with ease. After the removal of dirts, the teeth is polished to give a fresh breath and a clean feel. Though the gums may bleed during the cleaning, the procedure itself is not painful(bleeding is noticed in unhealthy gums).

It is recommended you have Professional cleaning twice a year(at 6 months interval).

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Tips for relieving your baby's Teething symptoms

Doing the following will help calm your baby's teething symptoms.

1. Place your clean finger in your baby's mouth and gently rub the gums. This produces a soothing relief. 
2. Placing a clean wet cloth in the mouth may also be of help. 
3. If your baby wants to chew, soft healthy unsweetened biscuits can be given. Once your baby sleeps off, remember to remove any left over from his/her mouth.  
4. Cold yoghurt might help soothe the gums too.
5. A cool teething ring: this can be soothing to your child's sore gums. Put the teething ring in a clean bowl and place in the refrigerator(not freezer) to make it cool. If kept in the freezer, it might get frozen and injure your baby's gums. If your baby doesn't want to chew anything cold, chewing a teething ring will still be of help.
6. Over the counter pain relieving medications such as paracetamol can be given to relieve pain. (Never give aspirin to your child). 
7. There are topical teething gels over the counter. However, do not use any without prescription as some contain 'benzocaine' which shouldn't be used without guidance as swallowing them are not healthy for your baby. 
8. You could also give your child a warm shower to help calm his/her nerves. 

See also: Misconceptions about Teething

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Misconceptions about Teething

Your child is said to be teething when he/she is bringing out his first set of teeth. This takes place about the age of 6months.

Some of the teething symptoms include drooling saliva, being irritable and loss of appetite. A teething child may have a slight increase in temperature. You might also notice your child biting or pulling at objects.

If your child is running a high fever or has diarrhea, it is important you consult your physician as soon as possible as these are not teething symptoms.

At 6 months, the baby in addition to teething also starts to develop his/her own immunity having survived on the mothers immunity for the first six months. This is also the stage when the baby begins to crawl and explore. A child that has fever and is running a stool might have an infection which might have resulted from the child putting dirty hands into the mouth during crawling.

To prevent this, always keep your child's toys, feeding bottles, bowls and spoons clean. Also keep the area where your child crawls clean.

See also: Tips for Relieving your Baby's Teething Symptoms

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What age should my Child visit the Dentist

Some parents ignore their children's dental health because they feel they will lose their baby teeth anyway. This is a wrong belief as the baby teeth play an important role in feeding which ensures the child has the required nutrients to help him/her grow and stay healthy. The baby teeth is also vital for the alignment of the permanent teeth. 

It is recommended that your child visits the dentist by his or her first birthday(1 year old). This is about 6 months after the first tooth comes out.

Your child's first dental visit is to get him or her familiar with the dental clinic. Children who are familiar with the dental clinic are often cooperative and express less fear when being treated at a much later stage.

Benefits

• Parents can learn how to better care for their child's teeth such as learning how to brush and the type and amount of toothpaste to use.
• Healthy eating habits can be encouraged such as allowing the child get used to taking fruits instead of sweets.
• Unhealthy habits can be discouraged: habits such as leaving feeding bottles/sweets in the baby's mouth while sleeping could result in tooth decay(baby bottle decay).

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Merry Christmas

Flexidentist wishes all her readers a Cavity free Christmas.

Remember watch those sweets, brush your teeth, use the dental floss and have fun. 

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