A tooth is made up of 3 layers. The outer layer is called the enamel. The layer underneath the enamel is known as dentine and the core of the tooth is made up of softer material called pulp. In the pulp reside the nerves. If the teeth are not properly brushed twice a day and rinsed with water every time you eat something, the food particles accumulate in the oral cavity particularly in between the teeth and oral bacteria converts this into acids. This acid is called lactic acid, this dissolves the enamel and gets into the next layer which is dentine and forms a lesion or white spots; if left unattended this gives rise to a cavity in the tooth. At this stage, the nerve endings in the pulp get exposed leading to a severe toothache; when the decay reaches the root part of the tooth; the tooth decays and falls off. To avoid tooth problems, you should brush your teeth at least twice daily in up and down strokes rather then from side to side, this removes plaque more effectively.

• Massage the gums with your fingers after brushing, as this increases the blood supply and hence nutrition to the gums. Don't forget to clean your tongue with a tongue cleaner; this is as important as cleaning your teeth.Rinse your mouth thoroughly after eating anything to reduce the accumulation of food residues in the mouth.
• Always use a tooth brush with M shaped bristles as this cleans the teeth more effectively than ordinary tooth brushes with flat bristles. Do not use hard tooth brushes as these will damage the gums.
• Tooth pastes containing tobacco are not only addictive but also affect the oral mucosa leading to general health problems. Avoid the use of hard objects like pins, in the oral cavity. Calcium and phosphorus are. two major constituents of the teeth and are necessary for hardening of teeth during the formative years. Therefore, a child's diet should comprise of ample amount of these two minerals. Milk is a good source of both these minerals. Eating cheese regularly lowers the acidity of the mouth thus preventing acid attack on the tooth enamel.
• Diet plays an important role in preventing tooth decay. The gums need fricition to keep it firm, raw foods therefore should be eaten, because they not only keep the gums healthy and firm but also helps in removing plaque. Therefore, they are called "Detergent Foods". Millet and sesame seeds are also very good because they are a rich source of calcium. Regular consumption of hard fruits like apples, peaches and apricots also help because they have the same effect as of a tooth brush on the teeth. Frequent snacking and eating of sweets is very harmful because they produce an acid medium in which the bacteria thrive, therefore it is better to eat sweets at the end of a meal rather than in between meals.
• Sunflower seeds contain a large amount of vitamin A, phosphorus, fluoride and calcium and are therefore very essential for teeth, they also prevent bleeding gums and also strengthen the teeth. Foods rich in chlorophyll, a green pigment found in parsley, beet, turnip, carrrot and radishes are also very helpful in keeping the teeth healthy. Neem is full of chlorophyll, therefore, its twigs are very effective for cleaning the mouth, if used as a brush.
• Rose water or a few drops of spirit or peppermint added to a glass of water not only makes a very refreshing mouthwash but also lends a fragrance to your mouth. Apple juice too with its natural acids makes a very effective mouth wash.
• If you knock out a tooth either due to an accident or a fight, all is not lost. Don't wash the tooth even if it is dirty, put it either in a glass of milk or a lightly salted water, but if you cannot get hold of both of them, close the tooth very carefully and gently and carry it in your cheek and reach the dentist with in half an hour, your own tooth will be good as new after it is replanted.
• Decayed or broken teeth can be covered with crowns. These are synthetic teeth which cover decayed or broken teeth. They are made of porcelain and strengthened inside with metal.
• If you have a gap between two teeth, a synthetic one can be fitted between two crowns to fill the space.If you lose your teeth due to some reason then you can be fitted with dentures; dentures are removable sets of false teeth which can look very real. These days instead of dentures people are opting for dental implants. Dental implants involve the permanent anchoring of artificial teeth directly to the jaw bone. This consists of an anchor cylinder or screw implanted into the jawbone. This acts as a receptor into which the teeth are screwed.

Do you want a beautiful, dazzling white smile? It's as simple as following a regular dental hygiene routine. Check out our tips to keeping your mouth sparkling and healthy...

Tame your sweet tooth

Sugar maybe yummy, but too much sugar in your diet can cause dental problems. Plaque lives off sugars that get stuck to your teeth. When plaque combines with the sugars, an acid is produced that attacks tooth enamel, which leads tooth decay. Cut down on soft drinks, lollies, cakes, and biscuits for healthier teeth.

If you smoke, quit. It’s easier said than done, but your teeth along with your lungs and heart will be much happier. Smoking contributes to bad breath, yellowing of the teeth and increases your risk of oral cancer, gingivitis, periodontis and tooth decay.H

How to quit smoking

Brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day. Brushing and flossing not only keeps your teeth nice and bright, but it helps prevent bad breathe, gum disease, plaque build up and embarrassing parsley-in-between-your-teeth moments. Research has shown that good dental hygiene helps prevent stroke and heart attacks. Bacterial plaque also causes gingivitis and other periodontal diseases, cavities and gum problems

Seeing your dentist can help you detect early signs of dental problems (e.g. cavities, broken fillings, gum disease) which can be easily treated if caught early. If these problems go untreated, root canals, gum surgery and removal of teeth could become the only treatment options available, which can be very expensive and painful.

When you eat, little bits of food get stuck to your teeth, which provides fuel for acid producing bacteria. The more often you eat and the longer food stays in your mouth, the more time bacteria have to break down sugars and produce acids which can decay your teeth. Each time you eat food containing carbohydrates (including sugar and starches) your teeth are exposed to these acids. Repeated acid attacks break down your tooth enamel and cause cavities. Cut down on snacks and when you do snack, brush your teeth or chew sugarless gum afterward to prevent your teeth from being attacked by bacterial acid.

Eating a variety of foods is also important. You need to eat a variety of foods to get plenty of tooth friendly vitamins (vitamin C) and minerals (fluoride and calcium) which are needed for good oral health.

A well-balanced diet is the most important requirement for healthy living and healthy teeth and gums. To help you understand what's good for you and what's not, we've teamed up with Health and Beauty writer, Marissa Peer, to bring you some practical, helpful tips.

Tape water provides extra fluoride, which helps prevent dental cavities and strengthens teeth. Water is also a non-sugary source of fluid, which can help your teeth stay clean.

Protect your teeth and gums with these stellar foods - Diet and nutrition: how to eat right

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE FOODS you consume can affect your smile as much as brushing or flossing. Every time you eat sugary or starchy foods, the bacteria in plaque get another chance to form decay-causing acid. And bad breath can make you want to hide even the most pristine teeth. But choosing foods that naturally fight bacteria, remove plaque, strengthen enamel, and freshen breath is a good way to preserve your pearly whites. Pick these 10.

1. Celery

Celery protects your teeth in two ways, says Lana Rozenberg, D.D.S., a holistic dentist and founder of Rozenberg Dental Day Spa in New York City. The extra chewing it requires produces plenty of saliva, which neutralizes the bacteria Streptococcus mutans that causes cavities. Additionally, chomping on naturally abrasive foods massages gums and cleans between teeth. Try This: Snack on a handful of raw celery or carrots once a day.

2. Cheese

Studies from the last decade show that cheese, with its low carbohydrate and high calcium and phosphate content, provides several benefits for your teeth. It helps balance your mouth's pH (an acidic pH encourages the growth of cavity-causing bacteria). Cheese also preserves and rebuilds tooth enamel and produces saliva, which kills the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease. Try This: Enjoy a 1-inch cube (about 1/2 ounce) of cheese after dinner instead of a sweet dessert.

3. Green Tea

Green tea (Camellia sinensis) contains substances called catechins that kill the bacteria in your mouth that turn sugar into plaque (a sticky mass of bacteria, sugars, proteins, and fats that produces cavity-causing acid when it comes in contact with sugary or starchy foods). Catechins also wipe out the bacteria that cause bad breath. Try This: Drink 2 to 5 cups of green tea (regular or decaffeinated) a day, says Mindy Green, director of research at the Herb Research Foundation in Boulder, Colo. Consider making a thermos of green tea to drink at work. The night before, steep 3 to 4 green tea bags in 4 cups of boiling-hot water in a covered thermos for three to five minutes. Remove the bags. Serve the tea the next day over ice or after reheating it.

Benefits of Green Tea

4. Kiwis

For their size, kiwis pack more vitamin C than any other fruit. In fact, one large kiwi supplies more than 100 percent of your recommended daily amount. If you don't get enough vitamin C, research shows that the collagen network in your gums can break down, making your gums tender and more susceptible to the bacteria that cause periodontal disease. Try This: Instead of topping your morning oatmeal with brown sugar, use a sliced kiwi.

5. Onions

Onions contain powerful antibacterial sulfur compounds. In a 1997 test tube study, onions killed various types of bacteria, including S. mutans. Research indicates that they are most powerful when eaten freshly peeled and raw. Of course, raw onions can do a number on your breath, so be sure to have some fresh parsley on hand (see below). Try This: Add a few onion slices to salads and sandwiches each day.

6. Parsley

Chewing parsley or mint leaves after a pungent meal will help you maintain sweet-smelling breath. These herbs contain monoterpenes, volatile substances that travel quickly from your bloodstream to your lungs, where their odor is released via your breath. Try This: Top zesty dishes with a few tablespoons of minced fresh parsley or garnish dessert with a few sprigs of fresh mint.

7. Sesame Seeds

According to fossils, our Paleolithic ancestors had great teeth. Anthropologists suggest that this is partly due to the cleansing action of primitive foods like seeds, which slough off plaque and help build tooth enamel. Sesame seeds, for example, are also high in calcium, which helps preserve the bone around your teeth and gums. Try This: Sprinkle a tablespoon of sesame seeds on salads and steamed vegetables a few times a week for a gentle teeth cleaning and 87 mg of calcium.

8. Shiitake Mushrooms

A 2000 study in Caries Research showed that lentinan, a sugar found in shiitake mushrooms, prevents mouth bacteria from creating plaque. Try This: A few times a week, add four to five sliced shiitakes to soups or stir-fries. Buy fresh shiitakes or dried ones, which can be reconstituted by soaking them in hot water for about 25 minutes before use.

9. Wasabi

Otherwise known as Japanese horse-radish, this condiment not only provides zing to sushi, it also protects your teeth. A 2000 study in Biofactors revealed that the substances that make wasabi taste hot, called isothiocyanates, also inhibit the growth of cavity-causing bacteria. Try This: Eating wasabi a few times a week will protect you from cavities. For a smile-saving salad dressing, combine 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon wasabi paste, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil.

10. water

Drinking water keeps your gums hydrated and is the best way to stimulate saliva--your body's greatest defense against the bacteria that cause plaque and cavities. Rinsing your mouth with water also helps wash away trapped food particles that decompose in the mouth and cause bad breath. Try This: Aim to drink six 8-ounce glasses of purified water throughout each day to keep your gums (and whole body) hydrated and to stimulate saliva. If you can't brush your teeth after eating, be sure to rinse your mouth with water.

Your dentist has told you a million times, you need to floss daily, and yet you may not be doing it. Flossing is one of the most important things you can do for the health of your teeth. When done properly and when combined with brushing, it’s the more effective way of keeping your teeth free of decay and plaque build-up. So, why does this matter? Because, plaque turns to tartar when it gets built up, and this leads to tooth decay and cavities, root canals, and a whole host of other dental problems. Flossing removes plaque, if you get rid of it before it has a chance to turn to tartar, then you will be in much better shape. No matter how well you brush, if you do not floss properly you will likely get cavities.

So, how do you floss properly? Try this:

1. Do it daily. Experts recommend you floss at least once a day.
2. Do it in the right order. You should floss your teeth before you brush your teeth or use mouthwash after, so you can brush or swish away any debris from your mouth.
3. Use the floss you like. There are a lot of varieties of floss out there, so pick one that fits between your teeth, glides easily, has a pleasant taste, and that you like. It really will not matter a whole lot whether it is waxed, unwaxed, or flavored. Most people prefer waxed floss, as it slides in and out easier and is less likely to shred as you floss your teeth.
4. Use the right floss for your mouth. If you have wide gaps in your teeth, dental tape may be a better option than floss. This is wider than floss, and works better for people with gaps.
5. Use the right floss for your situation. Regular old dental floss is not always the right option. For example, if you have dexterity problems, or may if you are all about easy and want something a little more convenient, you can purchase floss picks that are pre-strung, and that allow you to floss with one hand, then discard the pick when you’re finished. Or maybe you have a child, and you need motivation to floss, try a good flavor. Whatever type you decide use is your personal preference, but make sure the floss is approved by the ADA (American Dental Association.)
6. Use the right amount of floss. When you floss, remove about 18 inches of floss from the container, or use a pick.
7. Hold your floss the right way. If you get your floss from the container, wrap it a few times around a middle finger, then wrap the remainder around a middle finger on the other hand, leaving 1 to 2 inches of floss in the center. You then want to pull the floss taut and pinch it between your thumbs and index fingers.
8. Be gentle, get the gums. With the floss in the center of your fingers stretched tight, slowly and gently work floss between your teeth and down to the gumline.
9. Don’t be rough. You do not want to snap the floss in and out of your teeth, this can cause gum damage.
10. Up and down. Most people think floss should go back and forth, but this is incorrect, once it is in your gumline you will want to scrape away the food particles and plaque by moving the floss up and down the tooth and under your gumline.
11. Brush well. Once you’ve flossed, brush your teeth using proper technique.

Flossing is one of the best ways to keep your teeth healthy, clean, and free from decay. By flossing regularly and properly, you can avoid cavities and other serious tooth problems, and maintain a healthier, happier smile.