What is Tooth Decay?
Tooth decay is damage to your tooth’s enamel—the hard, outer layer.
When we eat most foods (particularly sweets), we feed the bacteria in our mouths, which produces plaque and acids. It slowly disintegrates the enamel, damaging our teeth in the process.
The result is tooth decay.
Tips to Avoid Tooth Decay
1. Brush your teeth regularly
- The easiest and cheapest way to prevent tooth decay is to brush your teeth, preferably after each meal.
- Brushing cleans away residual sugar and food on your teeth before the bacteria has had a chance to consume it. The fluoride in the toothpaste helps repair and strengthen teeth enamel to makes it less prone to decay in the future.
- Make sure you’re using the appropriate brush that can reach deep into your gums. Also, follow standard brushing guidelines to achieve a thorough clean.
- Flossing is highly recommended to remove stubborn food bits from between teeth.
2. Eat less sugary or starchy food
- The most prominent culprit in tooth decay is sweet food. Candies, cakes, and ice cream have excessively high amounts of sugar, for example. It can bring your mouth bacteria into overdrive, producing more acid than usual.
- If you absolutely can’t avoid eating sweets, then drink plenty of water to wash it down.
- You can also try chewing on some sugar-free gum. It stimulates the production of saliva, which is excellent for repairing tooth decay damage and neutralizing the acids from the bacteria.
- Keep your sweet treats to meal times so that you’re not constantly feeding the bacteria between meals.
3. See your dentist often.
Regular check-ups with your dentist are the best for oral health. The dentist will be able to clean your teeth thoroughly and treat tooth decay promptly.
Get A Regular Check-up at Rockingham Dental
If you’re worried about your dental health, see the experts here at Rockingham Dental. We pride ourselves as a family-friendly centre and a place where people find quality oral care for life.
Book an appointment with one of our friendly professionals today.
We’ll have you smiling again in no time.
