A Parent’s Guide to Emergency Dental Care

Posted on: 13 December 2015

You probably know all the things that could go wrong in your mouth, from bad breath, cavities to gingivitis. And you are probably doing everything in your power to make sure that you stay healthy. But there are 3 sticks out there that may help improve your oral health, and you can find out how with the following guide.

Fall In Love With Cinnamon

One way to really stick it to some oral ailments, like cavities or bad breath, is using cinnamon sticks. Yes, believe it or not, cinnamon contains ingredients that are incredibly powerful and will fight bacteria that lead to bad breath and cavities. The ingredient is cinnamic aldehyde, which punctures the cell-membrane of oral pathogens.

You can have cinnamon in its powdered form or the extract, but why not go as natural as possible and just suck on the cinnamon stick? You can bite down on it once your saliva has softened it up a bit for you.

Strike Bacteria With Neem

Another stick that you can use to strike down bacteria is the neem stick. This stick or twig comes from the Neem tree that grows in some parts of the Middle East. The neem stick has been used by natives as a tooth-cleaning brush for some time.

This practice is now backed up by several studies that have shown that neem's antiseptic properties can help kill bacteria such as chlorhexidine, which is one of the leading causes of gingivitis. The neem stick has even been able to partly reduce gum bleeding due to gingivitis. So, yes, having the neem stick on your side might be a good idea.

Evict Bacteria With Miswak

The third and last stick or twig that you might want to consider adding to your oral care regimen is the miswak. This twig grows from the miswak tree that is located in several parts of the Middle East and some areas of Africa. The miswak twig, like the neem stick, has been used to take care of teeth from native peoples for a long time and with good reason. The contents of the miswak has been shown to prevent dental plaque, kill cavity-causing bacteria and prevent gingivitis.

Remember that these 3 sticks are only meant to help with your oral health-- not cure any ailments that you may already have. Be sure you talk to your dentist like Scott W. Murphy, D.M.D., P.A. about these additions to your oral care regimen, as he or she may have additional tips that could help you.