Talkteeth - Southern

Ka ara mai a Matariki, ka ara mai a Puaka, ka mānawatia a Puaka, ka mānawatia a Matariki. Matariki rises, Puaka rises, celebrate Puaka, celebrate Matariki.
Let’s celebrate Te Tau Hou Māori, the Māori New Year, with the rising of Puaka and Matariki ✨🌟🎉

⭐️Matariki Hunga Nui - a time of Remembrance: Honouring those we have lost since the last rising of Matariki 💞
⭐️Matariki Ahunga Nui - a time of Celebrating the present: Gathering together to give thanks for what we have 🫶
⭐️Matariki Manako Nui - a time of Looking to the future: Looking Forward to the promise of a new year 🔮

Ngā mihi o Matariki te tau hou māori

Ever wondered how tooth decay actually happens? 🤔....well let's find out 🧐

We all have plaque in our mouth which, after brushing our teeth, starts to build up again - that's why we need to brush twice a day every day! If we looked at plaque under a microscope, we would see millions of bacteria 🔬🦠🦠🦠

Some of these bacteria cause tooth decay (holes in our teeth), but only if they have sugar to feed on 🧊🧊🧊 Lots of our foods and drinks have added sugars and refined starches in them, which gives bacteria the 'sugar' they need 🍭🍪🍩🍦🧋🧃🍕🥐🥨🍞🍔

When we have these foods or drinks, the bacteria feed on that sugar and make an acid...and acid makes holes in things 🧪⚠️
This acid coats our teeth for around 20 - 30 minutes before our saliva (spit) helps our mouth to get rid of that acid. During this time, the acid is eating away at the enamel (the protective surface) of our teeth 🫣😳

The more often we eat and drink, the more often our teeth are coated in acid, and the more enamel we lose. Over time, if we often snack throughout the day, our teeth can no longer replace that lost tooth enamel....and we end up with holes in our teeth ⏳😟

To keep your smile happy, it's best to 'give your teeth a rest' by eating main meals that keep you full (and a healthy snack in between if needed) so you are eating less often throughout the day and your teeth have time to repair in between - your teeth and mouth will thank you for it 😁😍🫶🩷