According to a Study it found that a serving of yogurt each day reduces the level of odor-causing hydrogen sulfide in the mouth. In addition yogurt apparently also cuts back on bacteria in the mouth—plaque and gum disease were reduced in the study’s of yogurt eaters as well.

Drinks with alcohol will tend to dry out your mouth. Having a dry mouth aids the anaerobic bacteria that causes bad breath. Anaerobic bacteria are killed when exposed to oxygen which is found in your saliva. So a dry mouth will not have as much oxygen that kills bacteria.

Unfortunately alcohol is also found in many mouthwashes. Therefore make sure to use a mouthwash that does not contain alcohol so it does not dry out your mouth

According to Dr Christine Gerbstadt, (who has lectured on oral health) coriander, spearmint, tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary and cardamom are all good for fighting bad breath.  These herbs can be either chew on or steeped in hot water (like tea) they also have an additional benefit that they can make an excellent digestive as well.

Many people know that eating certain foods such as garlic, onions, and even eggs can contribute to bad breath issues, but normally only temporarily. Food odors remain until the body processes the food so there is not quick fix. You can cover up bad breath odors by mints or chewing gums afterwords.

It is safe to say smoking has many health risks, but it is also a large cause of bad breath issues. Smokers may have bad breath due to other causes, but tobacco use will guarantee bad breath.  If you are ready to quit smoking you may want to ask your doctor for advice and support.  If you are a smoker make sure to talk to your dentist as additional dental care will be required in order to maintain dental health.

Researchers show that anti-caries DNA vaccines, including pGJA-P/VAX, are good for preventing dental caries. In the report titled “Prospects in Caries Vaccine Development, it states that DNA vaccine approaches for dental caries have had a history of success in animal models. Dental caries vaccines, directed to key components of S. mutans colonization and enhanced by safe and effective adjuvants and optimal delivery vehicles, are likely to be forthcoming.

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology are developing a new method for determining exactly how to optimally prepare a tooth to place a crown on it. The method will be able to improved quality and reliability of the crown replacements as well as result in significantly cheaper and faster dental treatment. Dentists will soon be able to benefit from a computer program being produced by a group of researchers at Chalmers, the researchers are now planning to run clinical tests. The software is based on advanced mathematical models and on state-of-the-art visualization technology

Many people may not be brushing their teeth correctly and can be causing teeth damage.  Abrasion is damage done to teeth by incorrect brushing habits.  First do not use hard bristle toothbrush since they are one of the biggest contributing factors to tooth abrasion.  Use a soft bristle brush place the brush at a 45 degree angle toward the junction of the gum and tooth and move the brush in a gentle circular motion.  Also stay away from abrasive toothpaste.

Here are three major way how tooth can wear down.  Bruxism or teeth grinding also refer to as attrition: Bruxism can be brought on by stress. You can also grind or clench teeth while you sleep, one way of preventing damage to your teeth is by wearing a night guard.

Tooth Erosion: Dental erosion is caused by acid.  There can be many food and drinks that are highly acidic and can cause the tooth enamel and dentine to brake down or erode. There are also health issues that can use acid such as acid reflux.  To try and prevent tooth erosion you will want to do your best to limit your exposure to acidic foods and drinks. Chewing sugar-free gum can help to dilute acidity by increasing saliva flow.

Tooth Abrasion:  Tooth abrasion can be cause by hard bristle tooth brush but even soft bristled brush can be harmful and cause tooth abrasion. Brushing correctly is recommended in order to reduce tooth abrasion.  Though dental can repare tooth abrasion damage by dental bonding

Many dental office will provide free consultation for dental care that includes general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry.  How can  you find these dentist?  By searching on line.  Many dentist now have their own websites and in order to get new patients they provide free consultations to first time patients that visit their site.  By taking advantage first time patients savings that you can find on line you will be able to save money on your needed dental care.

Trust is always a big issue and you need to know whether or not you can trust your dentist and the advise on dental care you are receiving. Does your dentist answer your questions fully to where you understand the services he or she is suggesting to you.  When major dental care is required, sometimes you may want a second opinion to verify all the dental services be suggested.  That is normally and is encouraged among dentist.

However not all dentist will advise the same exact treatment. So when comparing the two opinions, if you have questions about why the two do not match up inquire into it with your dentist before just thinking one is a bad dentist. Cost may also be a factor.  If you have dental insurance you may want to make sure that your dental insurance plan would cover for a second option.  Some dental plans may not cover for additional services already done.  If so you would want to know the cost ahead of time to make sure it is something you can afford to have done.

Many times when it comes to your health getting a second opinion is often advised.  But what about dental care and treatment when should you get a second opinion and why.  Here are a few tips that may help you when thinking about getting a second dental opinion.

Do your research before deciding whether you need a second opinion.

If you are not sure what your dentist is advising go on line and do a simple search for information on what your dental needs is.

See if by doing so it helps you to understand and that it matches up with what your dentist is telling you.

Then before going to another dentist if there are still things you do not understand call your dentist and discuss your concerns.

If you are still left unsatisfied then go get that second opinion

According to data from the US Centers for Disease Control, base on five year period ending in 2004, it found that 28% of all children age two to five have had some tooth decayed, and 23% of those children were not receiving treatment for  tooth decay.

This type of tooth decay is known as early childhood caries or ECC, and is the most common cause of chronic disease.  ECC can be caused by, not keeping up with basic dental care of children’s teeth. As well as economic issues of the family in providing for dental care.  Another factor of ECC is toxic stress which can interrupt the neurodevelopment of a child, therefore making them prone to infection, heart disease, diabetes, stroke and preterm delivery. Talk to your family dentist make sure you go over the way to minimize your child risks of ECC and learn proper dental care for you baby

Proper preventive dental care for babies start with the parents. In the past many people did not feel that baby teeth were all that important.  Not fully understanding the roll that baby teeth play in a child development.  Baby teeth serves many functions. such as allowing for proper jaw growth, baby teeth assist in the formation of proper speech and they are space savers for adult teeth to come in correctly.

Untreated tooth decay in baby teeth can lead to premature loss of teeth as well as effect the development of adult teeth.  Parents must start good oral health habits for their babies right from the start. Make sure to clean your baby’s gums even before emerging baby teeth. When baby teeth start to come in make sure to brush and clean both teeth and gums.

If you are not sure the proper way to do so then take your baby to see a dentist. The dentist can show you proper way to clean and take care of your child teeth and gums.  The days of children not seeing a dentist until they are two or older are long gone.  It is best advised that you should take your child to see a dentist when they cut their first tooth or by their first birthday

With the continue rising of healthcare cost more employers have stop offering dental care benefits to their employees. Due to this only 57% of Americans are covered by a dental plan compared with more the 85% who have medical insurance.  This according to the latest in Healthcare Transparency Index from Change Healthcare.  The index is showing a concerning trend that employees and their dependents are skipping regular dental visits and neglecting their dental health care. That women were more likely to receive dental care, averaging 1.31 visits per year versus only 1.11 for men. The index also found that seniors age 60 and older were the most likely to receive dental care, compared with young adults ages 21 to 30 representing the least likely.

Cancer treatment can consisted of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.  There may be side effects from cancer therapy, some of which can be devastating, but preventable or manageable with proper precautions and care. The most common side effects for head and neck cancer patients who undergo radiation therapy are: Dry Mouth,  Post Radiation Tooth Decay, Inability to open the mouth wide, Necrosis of soft tissue and bone and Impaired ability to heal from wounds in the oral cavity.  When fighting cancer you should talk you your dentist and make sure your are receiving proper dental care.

Many U.S. children do not see the dentist regularly. Even though most parents know that dental and oral healthcare is important. One reason for this, is that many people do not receive dental benefits though their employment and they feel that can not afford private dental insurance.

Some lower income people state even with dental care benefits their co pay for dental care is still to costly for them to afford. However dental care for children does not have to be out of reach. Many people do not know all the resources that are available to them.

In most states there are low cost dental insurance plan (such as HMO’s) with affordable co-pays. Also most of these dental insurance plans offer free preventive care which is more the half the battle when it comes to oral health care.

If even the more affordable lower cost dental insurance plans are still too costly, then use your state resources: Each state all over the USA has a particular program for kids coming from low income families. Under the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP), each qualified kid that falling under its income requirement bracket, are either covered for free or are given low cost insurance..

Dental professionals stress the importance of taking your child for a dental checkup at least twice a year (once every six months.) That said many parent worry about how to find the best dentist for their child. This is especially true for children ages 1-6 since it is sometimes difficult to find the perfect dental professional who knows how to behave with younger children.

Here are some tips that may help you find the right dentist for your child.

* Try and get and consider recommendations of pediatric dentist from other mothers.

* Go to the dental office and talk to the dentist if you feel everything is alright you can take your child in for a consultation.

* If you have dental insurance find out if it covers for specialist. Since pediatric dentist are specialist you want to make sure you are covered under your plan.

* If this is your child first dental appointment let the dentist know that is the case. Most pediatric dentist keep their waiting room kid friendly.  This will help the child stay in a good mood and make them feel like going to the dentist is a fun place to be.

Sugar consumption is at an all-time high.  Sports drinks and sodas may taste good but they can wreak havoc on teeth. The American Dental Association is prompting their members who participated in focus groups to name sports drinks and sodas as culprits of dental decay and disease.

In order to prevent dental and oral injuries, dentist are able to help parents and athletes understand the different types of mouth guards and their varying degrees of protection. A person should consistently wear a properly fitted mouth guard whenever playing a sport, by doing so it can eliminate or greatly reduce the severity of a dental injury.