Fight Back Against Tooth Decay
USA, April 27, 2024 - Tooth decay can affect a single teeth or multiple teeth. The oral bacteria responsible for tooth decay live all over your mouth ready to attack day and night.
This bacteria will not just go away and they can even be passed onto your children and loved ones through kissing.
Can tooth decay be prevented?
Fight Back Against Tooth Decay
Preventing tooth decay is an achievable goal by following the steps below:
Regular Dental Examinations, Professional Cleanings, Great Homecare.
Regular maintenance will increase chances of finding tooth decay at its earliest and also to ensure you are doing a good job at home with your dental hygiene.
Professional cleanings will remove plaque bacteria, tartar, and tooth pellicle (protein layer that forms on the teeth) to aid in healing gum tissue and decrease bacteria. Brushing, flossing, and rinsing properly will help maintain a healthy oral environment.
Lower Levels Of Harmful Oral Bacteria: The only way to naturally eradicate cavity-forming germs is with xylitol. You only need 1-2 teaspoons a day (in small doses), but you need xylitol at opportune times –when cavity bacteria multiply. Mouth germs flourish after meals or when your mouth is dry or acidic.
Xylitol can eradicate 92% of cavity-forming germs in an effective, progressive way.
Maintaining A Well Balanced Diet: Limiting sugar intake is a good first step. Selecting healthier snacks and limiting snacks is even more important. Some good, tooth-friendly snacks are cheese, nuts, and vegetables. Another plus to a healthy diet is that you will feel better and have more energy.
Maintain A Balanced Oral Cavity: Our saliva works hard to maintain a balanced oral environment by rinsing away oral bacteria and buffering acidic drinks. Acid is a byproduct of oral bacteria and weakens tooth enamel directly.
Acids ingested through eating and drinking will weaken teeth by dissolving important minerals out of them. When the enamel is weakened enough, tooth decay will begin. This is why it is so important to brush and floss after every meal. If you cannot brush, rinse your mouth with water to help neutralize the acids in your mouth.
Attempt To Strengthen Enamel: Luckily, it is possible to naturally repair tooth decay in its earliest form. A tooth can be “remineralized”, meaning minerals can be added back to the tooth to stregnthen it.
This is only helpful when tooth decay has not penetrated deeply into the tooth. Once decay progresses into the underlying layers it is too late to strengthen. Xylitol and fluoride may be used to remineralize teeth.
Know Your Medications: Many prescription (and even over the counter) medications can decrease saliva causing dry mouth (xerostomia). It is important to practice extra diligent dental hygiene if you know you have dry mouth.
Conclusion
For many of us, tooth decay can be a real problem. There are many ways to combat tooth decay. Get to the source of that problem by investigating into what seems to be damaging your teeth. Once you know whether it is diet, frequent snacking, poor hygiene, high acids, low saliva, etc.
You can then change your habits to prevent further tooth decay. Ask your dentist and hygienist for their help and input. They may be better at finding the problems and at suggesting solutions that will work for you.
