If you are worried about tooth decay, and how it can affect the health of your teeth, you should be.
Tooth decay is a real serious disease that affects people from around the world. If the hard outer layer of your teeth (the enamel) is compromised or penetrated, and you feel pain and discomfort, you could have tooth decay. If you don’t take care of your enamel, at the very least, your teeth will look yellow and unattractive. At the very worst, you’ll lose them and severely affect your ability to eat without help. –Not good. To assist you in preventing tooth decay, here are a few of the various causes that will negatively affect your teeth and some ways to avoid it too.
From The Start, Sugar Will Help Ruin Your Teeth
This sweet substance is in everything, from chocolates and candies to fruit, juices, creamers, sodas, gum, and baked goods. Other than fruit, most of the stuff that contains sugar tends to be processed. The presence of sugar on your teeth feeds the bacteria on them, which excrete acidic plaque. This plaque dissolves your enamel. It’s a fact that food still can get lodged in the teeth, despite regular cleanings. If this food contains sugar, then the bacteria in that area will be happy to consume that and ruin your teeth bit by bit.
Why Plaque Is The #1 Cause Of Tooth Decay
Earlier, we said that plaque is responsible for dissolving tooth enamel. So, what is plaque precisely? Well, plaque is the feces that comes from bacteria (Ew, I know, but you deserve to know). This plaque naturally breaks down your teeth when it collects in large amounts, it has acidic qualities similar to other highly acidic substances like coffee. You’ll know you have some plaque in your teeth when you see white deposits or films forming on your teeth. Plaque mostly builds at the base of the enamel. The likely reason you see so many people with tooth decay is because they let the plaque on their teeth slowly dissolve their enamel over the years.
How To Prevent Tooth Decay
. – The general rule should be that if you eat a lot of food during the day, you should brush your teeth more. The policy that dentists subscribe to is to brush your teeth twice a day with toothpaste. The goal is to scrape down the plaque out of your teeth, so it stops dissolving the enamel while strengthening your teeth with plaque-preventing toothpaste. Following up with mouth wash helps to kill the bacteria in your mouth. –The creatures responsible for producing plaque in the first place.
- Other than plaque, you should avoid anything acidic, like coffee, juice, citrus fruits, and candy. If you must, consume these substances in smaller quantities to reduce the erosion of your teeth over time. Of course, getting heartburn (acid reflux) will erode your teeth if it gets in your mouth, too, so avoiding foods that give you heartburn helps also.
- Dentists are pros at diagnosing tooth decay. Even if you’ve been following up with the health of your teeth, your dentist will be able to clean them more effectively and indicate any problem areas you have with your routine. They have useful knowledge at the very least and are potentially life-changing at the very best. Trust me when I say a dentist is well worth your investment.
Now that you know what tooth decay is, you’ll be more prepared to smile with each passing day. After all, once you give plaque the boot, with a cleaning from Douglas Dentistry ,you’ll have a better life with great teeth! Call us today or come on by!