The habits that wreck teeth

Keeping oral health is more than just brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. There are some habits that compromise the strength says Dr Patrick Kyagulanyi, a dental surgeon at Dental Solutions in Makerere.
All coloured foods can cause staining of the teeth. Foods such as tomato sauces, sweets and candies may not be good as well especially if they make your tongue change colour. “All sweets and chewing gums that change the colour of your tongue are likely to stain your teeth,” Dr Kyagulanyi says.

Tea, energy drinks, soda, carbonated drinks such as soda have chemicals that will erode away the hardest part of the tooth (enamel) thereby setting the stage for staining of the teeth.
Activities such as chewing on ice, pencils and opening beer or soda bottles with teeth may cause cracks in your teeth.
“Chewing on hard surfaces such as ice and opening soda bottles using teeth can cause cracks in your teeth which will in turn become painful and sensitive. Also eating too sweet things will cause tooth decay and your teeth will be painful with holes,” says Dr Kyagulanyi.
Binge eating, constant snacking, tobacco and alcohol use, tongue piercing, teeth grinding, tearing into packings with teeth and other practices are detrimental to your health.

Teeth whitening
Many adults realise that their teeth become faint yellow due to age, bad eating and drinking habits or tobacco use which usually lead to tooth discoloration. It may be almost impossible to keep the white colour of the teeth like they were at the young age.
This compels people to do whitening (bleaching) of the teeth, hoping to revitalise their smile.
When one wants teeth bleaching, it is advisable that they first consult a dentist to check the teeth. The process involves the use of bleaching chemicals to give stained teeth a brighter colour. No dentist recommends this but a person may opt to have the procedure done on him or her.
Dr Kyagulanyi says, “Teeth whitening is a cosmetic procedure a person may opt for. It may be because they do not like the way they look so they ask for bleaching of their teeth.”
Once done in a safe place and by a professional dental surgeon, teeth whitening is safe. Dr Kyagulanyi however, warns that some people get sensitivity after the bleach but it usually goes away in a few days.

Counter measures
While you may make a routine six month visits to a dentist for routine checkup, Dr Kyagulanyi recommends that people go for professional teeth cleaning annually. Everyone is eligible to doing a professional dental clean up.

Counter measures
While you may make the routine six month visits to a dentist for routine checkup, Dr Kyagulanyi, recommends that people go for professional teeth cleaning annually. Everyone is eligible to doing a professional dental clean up.
He says, “We acknowledge people brush and floss everyday but even with this, plaque and stains accumulate on the teeth. This is the reason people need a professional dental clean up done by a professional and certified dental hygienist.”

Teeth should be flossed regularly especially if your teeth are closely arranged. After you have eaten, it is very possible that some particles remain stuck between the teeth. These particles are best removed by flossing which is a gentle rubbing motion between the teeth using floss.
Daily flossing is highly recommended according to Dr Kyagulanyi because plaque build-up can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.