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It would seem that the television is obsessed with our appearance but in truth all that TV does is supply the entertainment that people demand. Is it any wonder that the vast majority of us are preoccupied with our appearance? A quick browse through the magazines this month will force you to look at an endless supply of perfect people. Perfect skin and perfect bodies and a bright white smile. Of course most of use take good care of ourselves and some go to great lengths to look their best. Unfortunately it would appear that tooth care is often bottom of the list and tooth decay continues to appear at an alarming rate. Where you, like me, one of those children who had to have a fluoride tooth treatment? I hated it and I was very distressed by the whole ordeal. My parents were very strict and I was continually told how and when to clean my teeth. However, now I am much older, I find that I have terrible tooth decay. Sadly I did not continue my good dental hygiene and badly neglected my teeth so, I suppose, I only have myself to blame. If we do not brush our teeth after eating some of our food will remain around our teeth. This leads to increased bacterial action in the mouth. Around 500 various chemicals are produced from the bacteria and the most harmful to our teeth is acid. Sadly our teeth are prone to attack from acid and, if bacteria are allowed to run riot, cavities can begin to appear. In a very short space of time the cavities can collapse leaving a hole in the tooth. The name given to the nasty bacteria that is the cause of tooth decay is Streptococcus mutans. This bacteria is so destructive that it can cause damage to the tooth enamel that causes it to collapse in as short a period as 6 months. Sometimes it takes longer, maybe a few years, or, if you are lucky it can take as long as 8 years. Cavities often appear between the teeth in those difficult to reach places. However your dental care regime should not rely on the toothbrush as flossing is the most effective way to clean between the teeth and thus avoid this type of decay. It is also very important that you get into the habit of using mouthwash as part of your tooth care regime. Mouthwash is specially formulated to make your breath smell great. It does this using two methods. Obviously one way is by providing a fresh minty taste/smell but it also works by massively reducing the levels of bacteria in the mouth. As the bacteria levels are lowered the occurrence of tooth decay is also much lower. There are a number of ways in which you can stop tooth decay. The best way to do it is to follow good dental hygiene and avoid those things that are known to cause damage in the teeth. Here are the four most common causes; 1. Failure to brush and floss the teeth often enough. 2. Including too much sugar in the diet. Check the amount of sugar in all processed foods. 3. Lack of fluoride. This is relatively rare as many authorities now add fluoride to drinking water and nearly all dental products include fluoride. 4. Tobacco. Smoking, or chewing, tobacco is known to cause cavities. After reading this article we hope that you now have a greater understanding of the need to develop a good dental care regime at your earliest opportunity. By following the hints and tips above you should be able to avoid the pain and discomfort associated with cavities.
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