You do not get cold sores and or ever blisters, from fevers or colds but they can be triggered by them. The virus that causes cold sores is usually passed via a kiss, shared utensils, or other close contact. Over-the-counter creams and ointments may help discomfort and speed healing. Frequent sores may require a prescription.

Here are a few helpful tips on brushing your baby’s teeth.

* Whenever possible make brushing your teeth as a family thing.  Showing your young child how to brush and brushing with him or her will make them want to brush more.

* Try singing songs or making brushing into a game.  If you make if fun for your child to brush the more willing they will be.

* Have your child brush their teeth to their favorite song. Children songs normally last around two to three minutes, which is the recommended time  a person should brush their teeth for.

Keeping your gums healthy is an important part of having good oral health but it also helps to control bad breath issues.  Gum disease, is a common cause of bad breath. Bacteria gather in pockets at the base of teeth, creating bad odors. If you have gum disease, your dentist may recommend a periodontist, who specializes in treating this condition.

There are some positive effects that result from sucking on pacifiers, according to Jane Soxman, DDS, author of the study and Diplomat of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. “One is that they assist in reducing the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Babies who are offered a pacifier do not sleep as deeply as those who sleep without a pacifier.

Pacifier sucking makes it possible for the infant to be aroused from a deep sleep that could result in the stopping of breathing. Pacifiers also increase sucking satisfaction and provide a source of comfort to infants.”  However according to AGD spokesperson Luke Matranga, DDS, MAGD, ABGD, parents should be aware of the negative effects of pacifier sucking on an infant’s oral health.

Children should stop using pacifiers by age Two. Up until the age of two, any alignment problem with the teeth or the developing bone is usually corrected within a 6-month period after pacifier use is stopped. Prolonged pacifier use and thumb sucking can cause problems with the proper growth of the mouth, alignment of the teeth and changes in the shape of the roof of the mouth.

According to Studies Pacifiers Have Both Negative and Positive Effects. There has been much debate regarding the use of baby pacifiers, but there is evidence to show that there are both pros and cons, according to a study in the 2007 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry’s.

Often times people will have an after-dinner mints after a meal.  However, sugary candies promote the growth of bacteria in your mouth and adds to bad breath issues. Instead, chew sugarless gum. By chewing gum it stimulates saliva, which is your mouth’s natural defense mechanism against plaque acids which cause tooth decay and bad breath.

In order to get the best results from brushing your teeth a person need to brush for at least two to three minutes. Even though most people will state they brush three to four on average a person brushes their teeth less then a minute.  Most people are not really timing themselves so what feels like two to three minutes is really much shorter. Therefore a good way to make sure you are brushing a full two to three minutes is by brushing to a song. The average song is about three minutes which is the right amount of time to get the best results from brushing.

If you worry about your breath one way avoid bad breath issues is by avoiding food that sour your breath. Onions and garlic are the prime offenders. Unfortunately, brushing after you eat them does not help. According to dentist Richard Price, a spokesman for the American Dental Association, “The volatile substances they contain make their way into your bloodstream and travel to your lungs, where you breathe them out, The only way to avoid the problem is to avoid eating them, especially before social or work occasions when you are mindful of your breath”.

The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and Oral-B Laboratories released a survey that show many Americans are neglecting to take care of their teeth during the workday.  According to the survey it found that more than three-quarters of respondents are eating twice or more a day at the workplace, while only 14 percent of respondents are brushing every day at work.  Another interesting thing found in the survey is while only 14 percent or the respondents where brushing, 40 percent ranked “smile” as one of the first thing they notice about a person at work.

Brushing our teeth is our first defense against tooth decay and gum disease.  For centuries the basic device for oral hygiene has been the toothbrush. By brushing our teeth we remove the plaque build up and food debris, which can cause tooth decay and gum disease.   However brushing is only the first defense in the line up.  We can not forget about flossing daily and using a mouth rinse that kill germs that causes gum disease. And even though you may be fighting the good fight at home it does not stop there.

At least twice a year you will need to send in for reinforcements. By seeing a dentist at least twice a year, you make sure you are maintaining your oral and dental health care. The dentist will check for any signs of tooth decay, gum disease and any other oral health issues. He or she will provide a basic dental cleaning, removing any plaque or tartar build up.  If there are additional dental needs that need to be address he/she will address such issues with you and come up with a battle plan.

One dental care habit that often goes undone is scraping your tongue after brushing you teeth. It is important to clean you tongue daily because the coating that normally forms on the tongue can host foul-smelling bacteria.

You want to gently brush your tongue with your toothbrush. If it is too big to comfortably reach the back of your tongue, try a tongue scraper. A tongue scraper is designed specifically to apply even pressure across the surface of the tongue area, removing bacteria, food debris, and dead cells that brushing alone can not remove.

When shopping for dental insurance you first need to identify your own dental care needs and what you want in a dental insurance plan.  Here are few questions to ask yourself so you can find a dental insurance plan that can best fit your dental care needs.

1) Do you need a dental insurance plan that your dentist/dental office accepts? If so it helpful to find out want dental insurance plan they are a provider of head of time.

2) What are your current dental needs?  Knowing what your current dental needs will help you find a plan that will provide benefits at the best coverage.

3) What are your long term dental care needs?  Understanding your long term dental care needs with also let you shop for a dental insurance plan that can best fit those needs as well.

4) Are you wanting an cosmetic dental care services? It is important to understand the most dental insurance plan do not provide benefits on cosmetic dental services. Therefore you may want to review dental discount plans in order to get saving off your cosmetic dental care needs.

5) Will you need specialist dental care?  Such as for 1 though 5 year old’s may need to see a pediatric dentist.  If so make sure the plan provide coverages for specialist.

Did you know hat one of the prime causes of bad breath is plaque, the sticky buildup in your mouth that harbors bacteria. Also food that gets caught between your teeth adds to the problem. All of us should brush at least twice a day and floss daily. If you are concerned about your breath, brush and floss a little more often. But do not overdo it. Brushing too aggressively can wear down enamel, making your teeth more vulnerable to decay.

Promote good oral hygiene with proper dental habits and save money by having dental insurance.  For the most part people know that by having good at home dental habits they promote good dental and oral health. However, did you know that dental insurance also helps to promote preventive care habits?

Most dental insurance companies knows that people who take care and practice good dental habits will have fewer larger dental care needs. Therefore with most insurance plans they provide preventive dental care services for free to very little in cost. Thus helping their insureds maintain good oral and dental health at very little cost to them.

For people that have braces or anyone that may have receding gums, it is a good idea to have an interdental brush with you. Such brushes are small, and are manufactured by several companies such as Gum for the Proxabrush. Sometimes even floss or an electric toothbrush does not remove a tiny piece or rice stuck between your tooth and your wire, but in that case an interdental brush can do wonders.

If you are a person who is dealing with diabetes and needs to have a tooth pulled, you can expect a longer healing period. Any surgery must only be accomplished if the level of blood sugar is well controlled. Otherwise, you must postpone the treatment, unless there is an infection or an abscess, which should then be treated immediately

If you are a woman, your dentist may be the first health professional to suspect you have osteoporosis and refer you to a physician before the disease advances. Symptoms of tooth loss or gum (periodontal) disease could indicate early stages of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis weakens bones by reducing their density. Although the disease may strike any gender at any age, the vast majority of sufferers are women over age 50. Osteoporosis is difficult to detect, and most patients are not diagnosed until their bone density has decreased to the point that a fracture occurs.

However, your dentist may detect the onset of the disease based on oral symptoms, your medical history and results of a clinical and x-ray examination. This is why it is important to visit your dentist regularly and to provide him or her with your complete medical history, even if you do not think it relates to oral health.

When you do not have good dental habits, periodontal disease can reach an advanced level without you necessarily feeling any kind of pain, and without your gums bleeding.  Regular dental checkups, at least twice a year can help prevent periodontal disease. If you are a diabetic you may have to see a dentist more then twice a year so go as recommended to detect any signs of gingivitis or periodontitis, but also dental caries.

An apple a day may keep the dentist away. Well, not really but it is part of good part of eating healthy, which is a good for preventive dental care.

Parents can help themselves as well as their children prevent tooth decay and cavities by monitoring their eating habits. Lead by example, offer children healthy snack alternatives such as apples, bite-size carrots or other foods that are naturally sweet, and instruct children to avoid candies, chocolate, and other foods that contain refined sugar.  If your children see you eating healthy they are more incline to eat healthy too.

Many people may know to brush their teeth at least twice a day and to floss daily, however, there still are people that do not follow though on this basic dental care tip. For good oral health, you should floss your teeth right before brushing in order to remove plaque and food particles. Then brush your teeth preferably after every meal.  If you a diabetic you may have a reduce saliva flow and you need to be more meticulous about your at home dental hygiene habits.