7 Easy Steps to keeping healthy teeth and gums

Flossing and brushing alone is not always enough to keep your teeth and gums free of bacteria, cavities and infections. Here are 7 easy and effective tips to help you keep your teeth and gums in tip top shape.

1. Stay away from sugar - sugar is the key culprit in promoting dental decay. Keep in mind that sugar can be hidden in many food products, including cereal, cookies, cakes and more. Be sure to read food labels. If the first ingredient listed on a food label is sugar, glucose, evaporated cane juice or sucrose, it indicates that the product contains more sugar than any other ingredient and should be avoided.
2. Support your immune system and it will translate into healthy gums. Keep away from food that you are sensitive to, as they will increase your body’s inflammation levels. Eat foods rich in antioxidants especially vitamin C and bioflavonoids as they help keep gum inflammation down and teeth healthy. Foods high in vitamin C include oranges, broccoli, red peppers, grapefruit and strawberries.
3. Avoid food, drink and substances that stain the teeth - to keep your teeth white, avoid tobacco, soy sauce, coffee, tea and wine (both red and white).
4. Eat firm fruit and vegetables - for a bright smile, consume firm fruits and vegetables that scrub your teeth as you eat them. Examples include green beans, cauliflower, carrots, apples and celery.
5. Use a mouth wash or rinse to kill bacteria - to eliminate or prevent bad breath try using Nature’s Sunshine Liquid Chlorophyll or a colloidal silver as a mouthwash to help keep your breath fresh and rid your mouth of the bad bacteria.
6. Ensure you are eating enough protein, calcium, vitamins A, C & D - as deficiencies can lead to problems such as delayed tooth eruption in children and teenagers, reduced tooth size, poor mineralisation, decreased enamel solubility and increased susceptibility to cavities and overcrowding. Nutrition is indeed an essential component of healthy, straight teeth. Boost your intake of these nutrients by eating superfoods like raw almonds, tahini, kale and spinach, eggs, natural yoghurt, cottage cheese, salmon, Celtic or Himalayan salt, just to name a few.
7. Use natural and nourishing toothpaste - Nature’s Sunshine, Sunshine Brite Toothpaste contains Golden seal, Myrrh and botanical extracts of Green Tea, Elderberry, and Corn for maximum gum health. The finest grade silica powder available is included in the formula to gently remove plaque build-up and polish the teeth without damaging tooth enamel. Sunshine Brite Toothpaste leaves the mouth feeling fresh and clean every time you brush.