Taking care of your teeth and going to the dentist doesn’t have to be a bore. Fulfill your children’s natural sense of curiosity with interesting trivia about their mouths. Share a new fact each night at teeth-brushing time and watch their interest in dental hygiene develop.
Did You Eat Your Cheese Today?
Eating cheese helps prevent cavities by increasing saliva production and reducing acid levels in your mouth, creating a more favorable environment to fight decay. Cheese not only helps prevent cavities, the high calcium content helps rebuild enamel. Swiss, Monterey Jack and aged cheddar are the best for teeth, the Children’s Dental Health Center in Montana says.
Don’t Feed the Bacteria
Bacteria normally found in the mouth feed off sugars and starches. If you don’t brush your teeth after eating sweets and carbohydrates, plaque quickly grows on your teeth.
I Have Smooth Teeth
If your teeth don’t feel smooth to the touch, it is time to brush. Run your tongue on the surface of your teeth. If they feel bumpy or rough, you have plaque on your teeth. Follow through and brush those babies, since dental plaque is made up of about 300 different kinds of bacteria, the Children’s Dental Health Center says.
Nobody Has a Tongue Like Mine
No two people have the same fingerprints and the same is true for tongues and teeth. Your tongue has its own unique tongue print, that no one else has. Imagine if people collected tongue prints instead of fingerprints as a form of identification.
Can You Say Teeth
You only get two sets of teeth in your life, and you’ll spend about 38.5 days on average brushing them in your life. Without your teeth, you can’t talk properly. Try saying “teeth” without front teeth. It won’t sound right.
Rinse, Rinse, Rinse
You should brush your teeth at least twice a day and preferably after each meal. If you don’t have a toothbrush nearby after eating, rinse your mouth out with water. Rinsing alone, while not as good as brushing, removes food from and reduces bacteria in your mouth.
Dentist From the Old West
Gunfighter Doc Holliday from the Old West really was a doc — a dentist to be exact. He quit dentistry after frequent coughing caused by his tuberculosis compromised his ability to work on people’s teeth.
