May 2011 - Jefferson County Public Schools

By: Cierra Unseld
My name is Cierra Unseld and I’m in the Dental Magnet. I’m
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going to talk to you about the importance of brushing your teeth. I
know that some people think that not brushing their teeth doesn’t
affect them, but it can, because it can lead to serious problems, not
only with your smile, but your health.
I’m going to share four tips and effective ways for brushing
your teeth to prevent health problems. Please answer these questions
to yourself about the following 1. How many times do you brush
your teeth a day? 2. Do you use floss? 3. How many times a year do you visit a regular dentist? These are
serious questions that you must address. As you may know, keeping a healthy appearance tells a lot about
yourself in general. Like for instance, are you a very hygienic person, are you capable for a job, or are you
healthy enough? When brushing your teeth, you want to make sure you
do it right, in order to prevent any other serious types of bacteria.
Look at picture 1. It’s an example of the proper way to brush your
teeth. As you may know, incorrect brushing of the teeth can lead to
serious problems other then bad tarter build up. Tooth decay is one of the
many health concerns that people deal with, because they either don’t
brush their teeth at all, or simply because they don’t do it right. Tooth
decay is caused when acids sit on your teeth too long and tear away at the
enamel, causing your teeth to rot. To prevent this, it is very important to
brush your teeth daily.
Why is it important floss your teeth? Many people don’t do it
enough, but it is very important to floss your teeth. When we eat, we tend
to leave left over foods in the cracks and crevasses of our teeth, and when
this happens, tarter starts to build up. If it’s left for a long period of time,
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it starts to form very hard calcium around the teeth. Calcium build up
makes it harder for the dentist to clean your teeth, forcing the dentist to
use chemicals and scrapers materials just get rid of the calcium build up. To prevent this from happening, floss
the correct way. You should take about ten inches of floss to clean your teeth. Go up and against the sides of
your teeth. Picture 2 is a picture showing you how to do this.
A lot of people don’t see the significance of visiting a dentist regularly. Why? Because they are not
aware of the many different things that can go on in the mouth,
like oral cancers, cavities, and diseases. Some oral cancers and
diseases can be detected early and treated if you visit your
dentist regularly. For cavity prevention, you should have a
regularly scheduled appointment, and your dentist should send
you post cards or calls concerning your check-ups. All of these
are efficient ways to make sure you get to the dentist on time.
Your smile can really determine your future and make a
change in your life if you take care of it and treat it like any
other major part of your body. If you have any questions or
concerns, ask your dental health care professional.
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