Your game plan for healthy teeth

Toothpaste

The ingredients in your toothpaste form a powerful defense, with fluoride as the key cavity fighter. Toothpaste also contains abrasives. Designed to clean and polish teeth, abrasives include silica, alumina, calcium or low levels of baking soda. If a paste is too abrasive, however, it may damage teeth, creating a place for bacteria to accumulate.

Many toothpastes boast anti-plaque or tartar-control abilities. Although you can brush plaque away with some toothpastes, manufacturers must prove to the ADA that their paste prevents gingivitis in order to claim that they fight plaque. Tartar, on the other hand, can only be removed by a dental professional. Tartar-control toothpastes won't defeat existing tartar, but they do help prevent further buildup.

Whitening agents can extend the brightness of your teeth after a professional cleaning. However, be aware that hydrogen peroxide, the active ingredient in many whiteners, may damage gums or tooth enamel.

Fluoride

Fluoride is another important defensive player. This naturally occurring mineral compound helps teeth retain calcium, keeping them strong. It also slows the production of acids that attack teeth. Fluoride is found in water and soil. It is also present in foods and beverages at varying concentrations.

Unfortunately, many communities have water supplies that do not contain fluoride, and more people today are drinking bottled water or using in-home filtration systems, further reducing their fluoride intake. Use a fluoride toothpaste, and consider a fluoride mouth rinse, which not only helps fight cavities, especially at the gum line, but also strengthens teeth.

Floss

Waxed, unwaxed, plain, mint, cinnamon — which floss you choose is up to you, as long as you use it correctly and regularly. Rather than leaving floss on the sidelines, try a floss holder or specially designed pick if you find it difficult to handle floss.

Plaque

Your biggest rival is plaque — the sticky, colorless film that builds up on your teeth every day. Because plaque is invisible, you should periodically use a disclosing solution to see if you’re brushing and flossing effectively. You can buy a disclosing solution at a drugstore, or you can make your own by mixing two drops of blue or green food coloring with two teaspoons of water. Swish the solution around in your mouth, spit and then rinse with water. The color sticks to plaque, appearing darker where plaque is thickest.

Tartar

Tartar is the hard deposit on your teeth that only a dentist can remove. It occurs over time as plaque combines with the minerals in saliva.

Decay

The unwelcome successor to plaque and tartar is decay. When you eat, the bacteria in plaque transform the sugars and starches in food into acids, which attack the tooth enamel. If plaque is not removed regularly, the enamel breaks down, and teeth eventually decay.

Decay works from the outside toward the center of the tooth. If untreated, decay can reach the tooth pulp and form an abscess at the root end — usually causing tremendous pain. At this stage, a root canal or extraction may be necessary.

Lifestyle

Did you know that your lifestyle can affect your oral health? People who are sedentary and eat poorly are more likely to develop periodontal disease than those who engage in high levels of physical activity and choose a healthy diet. Follow a healthy, active lifestyle and avoid alcohol and tobacco use to help keep your mouth in shape.

Diet

Your diet can work for or against you. Whether diet is on your side depends on the types of foods you consume, how often you eat and the length of time that food remains in your mouth. Some points about diet to keep in mind include:

• Limit sugar intake. Like most people, you probably eat your share of sugar-laden snacks and drinks. Sugar in any form, including brown sugar and the natural sugars found in fruit and dairy products, is a tooth's worst enemy.
• Consume starch with meals. Starchy foods are also suspect and should be eaten only as part of a meal. Carbohydrates, such as bread, pasta and potato chips, start as a starch, but then break down into simple sugars once you eat them. The sugars linger on your teeth until you brush them away. Carbohydrates work together with any bacteria in your mouth to create tooth decay, just like the sugar found in sweets do. 
• Monitor frequency. The more often you snack, the greater your risk for hosting enamel-destroying acids.
• Eat "tooth-healthy" foods. The good news is that some foods may actually help counter tooth decay. Peanuts and aged cheddar, Swiss and Monterey Jack cheeses may actually inhibit or neutralize the acids that cause cavities.
• Brush after meals. Brushing after meals and snacks is essential and, combined with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle, can help beat disease and decay at their own game, for stronger teeth and gums.