Tips to Prevent Tooth Decay
One of the most prevalent issues that can arise in our mouths is tooth decay. The bright side? If you follow these best practices, you can almost always avoid it.
Tip 1. Maintain a healthy diet It is common knowledge that sugary foods and beverages can cause tooth decay. Many of the bacteria that live in our mouths are not harmful, but some of them can harm our teeth because they use sugar as a source of energy. Our teeth are dissolved by the acids produced by the bacteria that consume sugar for energy, which can eventually lead to a cavity in the tooth. To prevent these bacteria from producing acids that harm our teeth, it is critical to cut back on sugary foods and beverages.
Sugary drinks like soft drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, cordial, and fruit drinks are examples of what to avoid.
Candy, especially those that last a long time in your mouth (like lollipops, toffees, sticky lollies, or lollies that melt slowly).
Even though it is difficult to completely avoid sugar from your diet, there are some healthy habits you can practice when you consume sugary foods or beverages. You should try to eat them after a meal when you have more saliva in your mouth. By removing some of the sugars and acids that cause tooth decay and keeping bacteria under control, saliva prevents tooth decay. Additionally, it can restore surface damage to the tooth caused by acids. After eating sugar, rinse your mouth with water or plain milk as soon as possible.
Foods and drinks that are good for your teeth Fresh fruits and vegetables—not juiced, but whole—especially crunchy vegetables like carrots and celery that make you salivate.
Calcium, which is excellent for preventing tooth decay, can be found in unsweetened dairy products like cheese and milk.
The best drink is water, but unsweetened tea or coffee with milk can also be good for your teeth.
Sugar-free chewing gum is also good for making saliva, but it’s not a good idea if you have problems with your jaw.
Tip 2. Fluoride toothpaste should be used to brush your teeth on a regular basis. Bacteria that cause tooth decay are especially harmful if they are allowed to grow on your teeth for an extended period of time. For that reason it is critical to consistently clean your teeth two times per day to stop the microorganisms gaining out of influence. Use a fluoride toothpaste to ensure that you are brushing all of your teeth’s surfaces and that you are doing so effectively, as fluoride strengthens and repairs teeth. In most cases, the toothbrush should gently touch both your teeth and gums, and brushing should take at least two minutes each time. Additionally, cleaning between your teeth is essential. Cleaning the spaces between your teeth that a toothbrush can’t reach is a lot easier with floss or interdental brushes for big gaps.
Request that your dental specialist check assuming your toothbrushing is all that it tends to be. The ADA’s Find-A-Dentist search tool can help you locate a nearby dentist if you do not currently have one.
Tip 3. Visit your dentist on a regular basis. Tooth decay can be prevented, and it can also be fixed or healed without a filling in its early stages. A cavity can spread throughout the tooth, causing pain, necessitating more treatment, or even necessitating the tooth’s removal. It’s possible that you won’t even know you have tooth decay unless a dentist or a dental x-ray shows it to you. By going to the dentist on a regular basis for a checkup, tooth decay can be caught early, which can cut down on the amount of treatment needed and ensure that decay won’t happen again.