#dental-health

#dental-health

My spouse "Jaime," like their entire family, has naturally perfect teeth. I am not so genetically blessed, and if I hadn't had heavy-duty braces from fifth through eighth grade, my teeth would be horrifically jacked-up. Our 10-year-old daughter, "Sara," unfortunately seems to have gotten her teeth from my side.

My parents, who afforded me a remarkable amount of autonomy, let me choose whether to get that mouthful of metal. You can guess what happened. Or, I should say, didn't. Many years later, as my teeth continued to shift, I'd notice when someone else had a perfect smile. I grew a bit self-conscious about mine. My teeth didn't look so terrible that I refused to smile, but I did regret not getting braces.

Routine cleanings and regular dental check-ups are important as the mouth is considered the 'gateway' to the body, thus it can be the origin of problems in many different aspects of the body.

The number of dentists employed by the HSE at the end of last year was just 249, illustrating the severe shortage of dental professionals available to provide care.

AI-powered apps now analyse photos of your teeth to detect early problems," explains Dr Harpreet Varaitch of Gabriels Hill Dental Practice. "Whilst smart toothbrushes provide real-time feedback on brushing technique and oral health progress."

The first-of-its-kind company, Laughland, offers affordable, dentist-created tooth whitening solutions with customized kits delivered to your door.

If the mere thought of flossing makes you a little panic-stricken that you aren't flossing enough, you're not alone. According to the American Dental Association, you should be cleaning between teeth with floss or another interdental cleaner once a day.