Keep Your Teeth Healthy

Here are seven tips to help you keep your teeth healthy:

1. Exercise. Samuel Low, DDS, reports that exercise may lower the risk of gum disease.
2. Use an electric toothbrush. A high-quality electric toothbrush with a small head works well to remove plaque.
3. Do more than floss. Interproximal brushes may work better than floss to remove plaque on a root.
4. Wait at least 30 minutes after eating to brush. Thirty minutes to an hour is the recommended time to allow saliva to neutralize the acids in food. Tooth enamel can be brushed away right after eating.
5. Watch for gum disease. A dentist should examine your gums with a probe to help you avoid gum disease.
6. Include fluoride. Consider adding a filter to your tap water instead of drinking bottled water, which often lacks fluoride.
7. Make sure your mouth is wet. Saliva removes microbes from teeth. If you are lacking saliva, talk to your doctor or dentist about a prescription rinse that can help.

For more information about these tips, read the entire article at http://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-01-2011/7_ways_to_keep_your_teeth_healthy.html?intcmp=dso-hp-sl-2.