9 tips for healthy and beautiful teeth and gums

From the time your first tooth poked through, your pearly whites have played an enormous role. Here are nine tips for beautifully healthy teeth and gums to keep you smiling.

Your teeth not only help you to talk and chew, they can make or break your appearance. Although aesthetics are important, of more concern is tooth and gum health.

• In recent years, researchers have found a link between periodontal (gum) disease and an increased risk of heart disease. One study found men with periodontitis had a 72 per cent greater risk of developing coronary artery disease than men with healthy gums.

So what can you do to keep your smile radiant for years to come?

Foods that are firm or crisp clean teeth. Apples, raw carrots, and celery are good choices.

• Make these foods the last thing you eat when you can't brush your teeth after eating.

Water keeps your digestive system healthy and hydrates your skin, but it also helps to keep your teeth clean.

• The more water you drink, the more bacteria you flush out of your mouth, meaning less gum disease, fewer cavities and fresher breath.

It will remove stains and whiten your teeth. Use as you would toothpaste or use salt as an alternative.

If you have the right gadgets at hand, you won't be tempted to use your teeth as tools, which can damage them.

• In fact, never, ever use your teeth as tools for anything except eating.

To see if your breath is offensive, lick your palm and smell it while it's still wet.

• If you smell anything, it's time for a sugar-free breath mint.

Chewing hard foods such as hard candy or ice creates tiny fractures in the enamel of your teeth that, over time, can result in major cracks.

These colours make your teeth look whiter, whereas light-coloured lipsticks bring out the yellow in your teeth.

Think of your teeth as external bones; they need adequate calcium to remain strong.

Dental water jets clean your teeth three times deeper than brushing and flossing alone.

• Let the pulsating water from the jets go to work on your teeth once a day.