If a tooth came out, milk is your friend
A tooth knocked out? Store it in a glass of milk and see the dentist immediately. Milk preserves the root cells during transport.
Daily tips
Small gestures, big smiles
A collection of practical tips for your family's oral health. Adapted to the Angolan reality — from backyard foods to neighbourhood habits.
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Trauma -
Pain -
Education -
Prevention -
Children
Never scrub the root of the tooth
The root has living cells that allow reimplantation. Scrubbing destroys that chance. Always pick up by the crown (white part).
Sugar-cane with care
Chewing sugar-cane is tradition, but the hard fibres can break weakened teeth. If a tooth feels loose, avoid it until you see the dentist.
Ice, not heat, on swelling
After an impact with swelling, apply ice wrapped in cloth in 15-minute periods. Heat only worsens inflammation.
Mouthguard for sport
If you play football, basketball, or boxing, consider a mouthguard. Inexpensive and prevents lifelong tooth loss.
Bleeding that does not stop: gauze and pressure
For most oral bleeding, rolled clean gauze and firm pressure for 30 minutes resolves it. If it does not stop, seek help.
Toothache is not "normal"
Many Angolans grow up hearing toothache goes away on its own. It does not — pain is a sign of an active problem. Seek help.
Warm salt water relieves
Rinse with warm water and a teaspoon of salt. Reduces inflammation, cleans food debris, and soothes the gum. Repeat 2 to 3 times a day.
Never aspirin on the gum
Elders sometimes place aspirin directly on the tooth. It burns the gum and can cause serious wounds. Take the tablet by mouth, with water.
Clove for temporary relief
Clove has mild anaesthetic properties. You can chew a grain near the painful tooth while waiting for the dentist. Does not replace consultation.
Cold sensitivity: the right toothpaste helps
Pain when drinking cold water? Desensitising toothpastes exist. Use for 4 weeks for real difference.
Pain with fever is urgency
Toothache with fever, growing swelling, or trouble swallowing is urgent. Seek care the same day.
Teeth do not regenerate
Unlike skin or bone, tooth enamel does not regenerate. A cavity only stops when the dentist removes it. The earlier, the simpler.
Fluoride toothpaste protects
Look for toothpastes with fluoride between 1000 and 1500 ppm — it is written on the packaging. Fluoride strengthens enamel against sugar attacks.
Sugar is not only in sweets
Soft drinks, industrial juices, and even some natural juices contain a lot of sugar. Drink water as your main beverage.
Tobacco stains and kills gums
Smoking yellows the teeth, causes bad breath, and is the main cause of periodontal disease and oral cancer. Quitting is the best investment in your mouth.
Bleeding gums are not normal
Bleeding while brushing is not "because I brushed too hard". It is a sign of gingivitis — reversible inflammation if treated early.
The dentist does not pull teeth for fun
Many people avoid the dentist out of fear of extraction. Today, the aim is always to save the tooth. The earlier you go, the less likely you lose it.
Brush twice, for 2 minutes
Morning and before bed, with a soft-bristle brush for two minutes. Brushing before bed is the most important.
Dental floss, every day
The brush does not reach between teeth — only floss removes food and plaque from those gaps. Once a day, before bed.
Gimboa rinse? Water rinse
Leaves like gimboa and quizaca are great for overall health. For the mouth, rinsing with water after meals is a simple gesture that protects teeth.
Visit the dentist every 6 months
Even without pain. Most problems start silently — the routine visit catches early what avoids long, expensive treatments.
Change brush every 3 months
Bent bristles do not clean well. Mark the calendar — after each dry/rainy season, change the brushes for the whole family.
Clean the tongue
Half of bad breath comes from the tongue. Use a scraper (or the back of the brush) gently, from throat to tip, every day.
The first little tooth deserves a visit
The baby's first visit should be in the first year of life. It is short, simple, and gets the child used to not fearing the dentist.
Bottle with juice at night: NO
Falling asleep with a bottle of juice or sweetened milk causes "bottle caries" — destroys front teeth. Only water after the last bottle.
Brush the child until age 7
Small children do not have the dexterity to brush well. You brush, or supervise and complete, until at least age 7.
Baby teeth are not "disposable"
A cavity in a baby tooth hurts, infects, and affects the permanent tooth beneath. Always treat, even if it is going to fall out.
Right toothpaste for the age
Up to 3 years: rice-grain size. From 3 to 6: pea size. Fluoride toothpaste 1000 ppm, chosen with the dentist.
Sweets after meals, not mid-day
If the child is going to eat a sweet, better right after the meal (and brush afterwards) than mid-afternoon. Reduces acid attack time.
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