Dentistry and the art of drilling perfect holes into live but unhappy patients happened between 7000 BC and 5500BC, Neolithic times, long before anesthesia was discovered. It comes as a surprise that with such a long association with mankind, dentistry still remains neglected. A beautiful smile lights up a face and a perfect set of teeth, helps you achieve that. Yet, dental decay rivals common cold. We lack terribly when it comes to maintaining oral health. Researches say that one in four people suffer from bad breath regularly, while gum diseases affect most of us at some point in our lives. Our visits to dentists happen when the terrible toothache ordains us to do so. Nature has endowed us with 32 teeth. Our mouth is a busy place. Bacteria-tiny colonies of living organisms are constantly on the move on our teeth, gums, lips and tongue. Daily brushing fails to scrape them off.

For a healthy teeth

1. Eat whole grains daily, such as brown rice, oatmeal and whole wheat bread instead of refined grains, such as white bread and rice.

2. Eat healthier vegetables, including dark green and orange vegetables.

3. Eat a variety of fruits.

4. If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.

5. Aim for a healthy weight and be physically active each day.

6. Firm fruits like apples and pears and "vegetables are the second best options. They do have natural sugars, but their high water content dilutes the effects of the sugar.

7. Avoid sipping on soft drinks, or any other sugar-containing drinks, like tea or coffee through out the day.

8. Arresting tooth decay.

9. Limit your between meal snacking.

10. Very acidic foods may contribute to tooth demineralisation and erosion of your teeth.

11. Brush your teeth after meals or at least twice a day. Remember to floss once a day.

12. Chewing sugarless gum that contains xylitol can help reduce the risk of cavities.

13. Quit cigarettes and use of tobacco in all forms.

Having a charming smile is within your reach. It needs some effort and we all can spare that for a smile that wins hearts.

Stop and Prevent Tooth Decay