Читать книгу The Care and Keeping of You 1 - Valorie Schaefer - Страница 28

How to Floss

1. Pull off a strand of floss

about 18 inches long. Wind

most of it around the middle

finger of one hand, and the rest

around the middle finger of the

other.

2. Grip the floss between

your thumbs and forefingers,

stretching it tight. Push the

floss gently between two of

your teeth, wiggling it up and

down the sides of both teeth

and under the gum line. Imagine

yourself scooping out little bits

of food.

3. Unwind a little clean floss,

winding up the used floss as

you do so. Floss between two

more teeth. Keep going, wind-

ing and flossing, until you’ve

cleaned between all your teeth.

Don’t forget to floss at the very

end of each row, behind your

last tooth.

Healthy Gums

Think pink! Your gums need just as much attention as

your teeth. If you don’t take care of your gums, you could

be setting yourself up for gingivitis—a disease that causes

painful, red, swollen gums. To prevent gingivitis, floss once

a day to fish out food lurking along the gum line. Dental

floss comes in different thicknesses, waxed and unwaxed,

to slide between your teeth comfortably. It even comes in

tasty flavors!

Fresh Breath

Halitosis is a fancy way of saying “bad breath.” But no

matter what you call it, nothing shouts “Stand back!”

quite as loudly. In rare cases mouth odor is caused by a

nasal infection, upset stomach, or other problem that

may need a doctor’s attention. But it may just be a sign

that you’re skimping on brushing and flossing. Food

between your teeth can rot and stink just like garbage.

Clean it out!

Smile and Say “Calcium”!

For strong chompers, eat foods high in calcium, a mineral

that helps toughen up teeth. You can find calcium in

dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt, as well

as in non-dairy foods such as green leafy vegetables, black

beans, and orange-colored fruits. A balanced, healthy diet

that limits gooey, chewy, sticky snacks is the smartest

choice.