Certainly go to the dentist every six months, however, pay attention to the health of your teeth and gums daily. What a person eats in between visits to the dentist and how often and how well they clean their teeth are essential factors, not just for oral but overall health and wellbeing.

What you eat plays a vital part in your oral health

The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says that tooth loss caused by periodontal disease is a serious concern for people in today’s ‘fast-food’ world, although still the most common chronic oral health condition is cavities. Tooth decay and periodontal disease are caused by a variety of factors including:

• Poor dental hygiene (not brushing your teeth often enough)
• Not getting a dental check up often enough
• Certain medications
• Smoking
• Eating sugary/starchy foods

Stress can also contribute to oral health problems. When stressed, a person often grinds and clenches their teeth, which can cause damage and wear to the teeth.

How do you chew?

A study by the University of Kent showed a correlation between types of foods you eat and your chewing habits. They found that the lower jaw grew too short with a diet of soft foods, which didn’t require chewing. This can lead to orthodontic alignment problems including overcrowding of teeth making dental hygiene more difficult. Today there is a proliferation of junk food; food that has already been ground up, for example in burgers, so instead of having to chew your meat it has already been done for you! Couple that with the sugar on the French Fries and in the bun and you have a recipe for tooth decay and gum disease. Crunchy foods like apples, celery and carrots help your jaw do the work it was designed for, stop the build up of dental plaque and supply you with a great source of antioxidants.

Beware the chewing gum solution

After a fast food lunch many of us reach for chewing gum to freshen our mouths and hopefully clean our teeth. But conventional chewing gum is not the solution to oral hygiene and carries with it the dangers associated with the artificial sweetener aspartame, which can lead to neurological problems.

An easy solution to oral hygiene

Yes you’ve guessed it – brush your teeth after you’ve eaten! Not just at night and in the morning but whenever you’ve eaten. Keeping a toothbrush and toothpaste in your office drawer if you’re at work is easy.

What kind of toothpaste should you use?

Well the answer is the most natural one you can find. One that also contains ingredients that will help fight mouth infections and strengthen the teeth and gums.

Propolis the infection fighter and immune booster

Even if you’re using conventional toothpaste there is still something you can do to boost immunity and fight mouth infections. That something is to use a mouthwash or gargle containing Propolis. Propolis is an all-natural antibacterial and antioxidant remedy that may be beneficial for strengthening your gums and improving natural immunity. As an alcohol-free liquid, Propolis can be diluted into water (just a few drops to a glass) and freely used as a mouthwash and to treat mouth infections and ulcers as well as and sore throats and colds. Keep it in your office drawer too, so that at the first sign of a tickly sore throat you can gargle with Propolis liquid (diluted of course), and avoid getting a cold or flu.

Mr Vitamins recommends

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