Most people dislike, maybe even hate, going to the dentist. If this sounds like you, you should start taking preventive measures to keep your mouth healthy and stop cavities before they can start.
Cavities are holes, or structural damage, in the teeth. There are three main types of cavities that can form in teeth.
They include coronal, root, and recurrent decay. Coronal cavities are the most common type of cavity. They occur in both children and adults.
Coronal cavities usually are located on chewing surfaces or between the teeth. Root cavities occur on the root of the tooth when part of the root is exposed. Recurrent decay is decay that forms around existing fillings and crowns.
Many cavities can be prevented from ever happening if we each follow a few simple steps.
The number one thing we can do to prevent cavities is to maintain good oral hygiene. Just doing this one thing will significantly reduce the risk of getting cavities.
Good oral hygiene includes brushing your teeth at least twice a day. This will greatly lower your chance of cavities and keep your teeth whiter.
Brushing removes bacteria as well as the food debris that bacteria feed on leaving you with a fresher and cleaner mouth.
A thorough brushing should take at least 2-3 minutes. If you brush for 2-3 minutes you will most likely rid your mouth of a big portion of germs and other lurking bacteria.
Another major part of dental hygiene is flossing. Flossing reaches the part of your mouth that your toothbrush can not reach.
Toothbrushes cannot reach approximately 35 percent of your mouth. Brushing without flossing is like taking a shower and only washing two thirds of your body. This comparison shows how crucial flossing is to preventing cavities.
The second biggest preventative factor we should be aware of is the foods that we choose to eat. Foods containing sugars and carbohydrates attract more bacteria than other foods. These foods also provide bacteria energy to grow, reproduce, and create enamel eating acid.
Be careful when eating foods that tend to stick to teeth. Foods that are sticky include peanut butter, caramel, and honey. These foods are not easily cleared by chewing and swallowing.
Because of this they provide bacteria with a long lasting food source from which to make acid. After eating these foods, be sure to brush your teeth as soon as possible.
Be sure to be especially careful with sugary foods around the holidays. Christmas, Easter, Valentines Day, and Halloween all give us ample opportunities to eat these high sugar foods. Take the time to brush your teeth a little bit more frequently during these times.
Another thing that can help prevent cavities is the timing of your daily eating habits. This tip may be surprising to many.
This is due to the process of creating a cavity. Acid is produced by bacteria then it is neutralized by saliva and cleared from the mouth. After the acid is cleared minerals in saliva crystallize on the enamel and begin to repair areas damaged by the acid.
Larger intervals between eating provide more opportunity for this acid to be neutralized and more time for the acid damage to be repaired. If you are frequently eating snacks you are providing a constant acid attack on your teeth and give your teeth less time to repair.
This explains why snacks eaten with a meal are better for teeth than snacks eaten in between meals. Remember that a candy bar eaten with a meal is less likely to contribute to cavity formation than a candy bar eaten as a snack between meals.
Also note, that sipping on sugar containing liquids throughout the day is harder on your teeth than drinking these same type of drinks with a meal.
Another way to prevent cavities is to use fluoride. Fluoride is used by dentists to help strengthen teeth.
It incorporates itself into tooth enamel making it more resistant to acid attacks. Most adults receive adequate amounts of fluoride in their toothpastes.
One of the final ways we can prevent cavities and other dental problems is to have regular dental visits in the form of a yearly check-up.
Seeing a dentist will help to identify problems before they really become a big problem. It is important to find problems before they start because it is easy to fix minor problems.
Additionally, dentists can detect places in your mouth that you miss when brushing. These areas are prime targets for cavity formation.
Dentists can use a high concentration of fluoride treatments to prevent the need for the dental drills and fillings.
When you effectively follow these tips virtually all cavities can be eliminated.
Author Resource:-
Jack R. Landry is a former dental assistant and has authored hundreds of articles relating to oral health and Las Vegas cosmetic dentist. He has been a guest dental lecturer for over 15 years.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 