Kissing is said to prevent cavities and you may be wondering just how. Deep kissing causes you to secrete saliva, which is essential for healthy teeth. To get a better understanding, let’s first understand how saliva is good for your teeth.
HOW SALIVA WORKS
Saliva is your natural teeth protector. On secretion and contact with the teeth, it neutralizes acids which will have formed from food particles that remain in the mouth and in between teeth. These acids are potentially harmful to your enamel – they wear it away. Saliva also contains compounds which kill bacteria in your mouth. These bacteria, left there, will wear your enamel to the point where you get cavities.
Saliva is also rich in calcium and phosphates. Calcium is what your teeth are mainly made of. The calcium and phosphates in your saliva, combined, will rebuild little chinks in your teeth where the enamel may have worn off.
To keep saliva in constant production and circulation, you need to keep your mouth active. Talking is one way to do it. So is eating. If you talk and eat frequently, you’re likely not to have bad breath so long as you keep a healthy oral regimen.
WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH KISSING?
The other way to secrete saliva and in large amounts is through kissing.
When you kiss, the movement of the tongue will cause secretion of saliva– up to 1 teaspoon for each minute of kissing. This saliva will work to keep your teeth in good shape, preventing cavities and tooth decay.
There are conditions however; both kissers have to have good oral hygiene in the first place. During kissing, saliva is also swapped. If one person has bacteria in their mouth, they will pass it on to their partner. If its specifically cavity-causing bacteria, it could eventually lead to their partner having cavities. Both people need to brush their teeth, floss and rinse out with mouth wash as recommended.
Don’t despair if you don’t have someone to kiss though – chewing gum will have the same benefits on your teeth!
Sources
- American Dental Association, fact sheets.
- Academy of General Dentistry, fact sheets.
- Journal of the American Dental Association
A toothache can be shattering. And the thing you want to do is stop the pain NOW. If you don’t have a dentist living in your house with all his tools, you may want to learn some quick ways that you can relieve a toothache, at least temporarily until you get around to seeing a dentist.
It’s important to talk about things that you shouldn’t do first, because some of the old wives tales that come along with toothache remedies can not only leave you with worse pain, but also cause permanent damage:
- Don’t put aspirin directly in the cavity. Some people say this works, others say it doesn’t, but one thing is common to all who use this remedy; the aspirin continues to burn at your tooth enamel, and while you may get some temporary toothache pain relief, you eventually one day are going to be in greater pain once the cavity, aided by the use of aspirin, spreads all the way to the root of your tooth.
- Don’t put a grain of salt in it. The “logic” behind this is that it dehydrates the bacteria and will cause them to die and leave you in peace. True, the bacteria will die, but if that grain of salt has any kind of direct contact with an exposed nerve for any reason, you will be in agony. Raw, open nerves and salt don’t mix well together. You’re better off swishing a concentrated salt solution if you must use salt.
20 Scientifically Proven Toothache Remedies For Quick Toothache Relief
So what are some of the best toothache remedies that you can find close to you?
- A clove of garlic is good. Garlic is a natural anti-biotic. It attacks bacteria and has been known in many instances to work on bacterial infections all on its own without the use of prescribed antibiotics. Crush the garlic, and place it in the cavity. It will sting for a few seconds going in, but it settles the pain before long. If you want it to work even better, prepare a strong salt solution and swish the area to get rid of any debris that may be lying around, and then place the clove there. The pain will go, and you may not even need to see a dentist
- An onion will work in the same way – it will kill bacteria and leave you free of pain. Treat it the same way you would the garlic – pound and pack the cavity. If you’re not in too much pain to chew, chew it and take around your mouth, letting it linger around where you have the pain.
- Wheatgrass is also excellent. If you can chew it, go ahead and chew it. If you can’t, find a way to crush it and pack it around the painful area. It acts as a strong, natural mouthwash, and it draws out bacteria from both the gum surface and the teeth.
- Clove oil has strong antiseptic properties. If you can get hold of some, pour a couple of drops directly into the cavity. If you can’t, crush a clove and pack it against the cavity or get the juice in there.
- Activated charcoal can be bought in some pharmacies now, and is good for aching cavities. Just crush it into a paste, pack it into gauze and hold it against the painful cavity. It should take away the pain.
The long term solution for cavities though, is to have your dentist have a look and recommend a permanent course of action – remember that sometimes even filling cavities may not be a permanent solution. Taking regular extra-good care of your teeth if you have cavities is one way to make sure that you get toothaches less frequently. Otherwise, keep all the above handy; you never know when you’ll need them.
Sources:
- Dental Health Magazine
- http://altmedicine.about.com/
Kissing is said to prevent cavities and you may be wondering just how. Deep kissing causes you to secrete saliva, which is essential for healthy teeth. To get a better understanding, let’s first understand how saliva is good for your teeth.