You and your mouth have known each other for a long time.  You've been there for each other, through the good times and the bad.  As with any healthy relationship, you need to give it some attention.  Here are a few ways to show your mouth you care.

Be Sensitive to Its Needs

Sensitive teeth can be painful.  If you care about your mouth, you don't want it to go through discomfort.  Typically, tooth sensitivity occurs because its protective outer layers have been worn away.  As a result, your tooth's dentin and its nerve endings become exposed.  Luckily, you can prevent tooth sensitivity by doing the following:

• Be gentle when brushing.  Protective enamel covers your crown and cementum guards your roots.  Harsh brushing only removes these protective coverings and leaves your teeth vulnerable.  
• Be careful when eating acidic foods and beverages.  The acid in food like oranges eats away at your tooth's enamel.  This can lead to tooth decay and cavities.  At the same time, many acidic foods are good for your body.  To do both your teeth and body good, you can drink water right after enjoying that bowl of strawberries.  Eating acidic foods along with a complete meal can reduce the duration your teeth are exposed to the acids.

Stop Bad Habits

A poor diet and failure to floss can really wreck havoc on your teeth.  You can improve both your oral and overall health by stopping these other bad habits:

• Stop skipping the dentist: As many as 50% of US adults skip their yearly visits to the dentist.  You're actually supposed to go at least twice a year.  However, regular dental visits can help you catch tooth decay, gum disease, and even oral cancer in its early stages.  By avoiding expensive procedures, you can save a lot of money too.
• Avoid processed foods: You probably know that sugar is a major cause of cavities.  However, processed foods contain sugar, in addition to ingredients that are high in acidity.  You might be surprised to learn that saltine crackers are considered to be the number one cavity causing food.  Why?  The simple starches cause bacteria to multiply.  Bacteria releases foul-smelling waste products that cause bad breath.
• Smoking: It's not any secret that cigarettes are bad for you.  The nicotine and tar in cigarettes erodes your gums.  In addition, smoking increases the bacteria in your mouth and plaque on your teeth.

By taking care of your mouth, you'll keep it happier and healthier.  And, since a healthy mouth is closely related to a healthy body, it's a win-win situation. Consult with your dentist, one like Joseph Craig, for more ideas.