Protect My Smile

How to Protect My Smile From Decay?

When you have to protect your smile from decay, you have to make sure that you have a good combination of oral hygiene and lifestyle choices in Florida. The foundation of dental health is brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing at least once a day to remove food particles, and visiting a dental practice in Port Orange. The more you take care of your teeth, the lesser your chances will be of getting tooth decay. 

What Is Dental Decay?

Dental decay is also known as tooth decay, which is a common health problem that can affect people of any age. It occurs when bacteria in your mouth produce acids that erode the tooth enamel. When you have regular dental checkups, you can prevent dental decay. 

When you consume sugary or starch-based foods, the bacteria will feed on that, producing acid as a by-product. This cannot be left untreated as it can get different into the tooth and end up affecting the dentin, nerves, and blood vessels. The factors that mainly contribute to dental decay are poor oral hygiene and a diet rich in sugar and carbohydrates.

What Habits Have Caused Dental Decay?

The primary reason why many individuals face dental decay is due to their lifestyle choices. Multiple habits end up contributing to dental decay. 

  • Poor oral hygiene
  • High sugar consumption
  • Acidic food and drink consumption
  • Frequent snacking
  • Inadequate fluoride exposure
  • Dry mouth
  • Smoking and tobacco use
  • Grinding or clenching teeth
  • Avoiding regular dental check-ups
  • Using teeth as tools

What Steps Can Be Taken To Prevent Decay?

Dental Decay

Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste

Your saliva production decreases as you sleep, making your teeth more vulnerable to infection and decay. You can stop these attacks by brushing your teeth right before bed. This is one of the best habits you can develop to prevent decay from happening.

Remember that every brushing session should have a minimum of two minutes allocated. For ideal dental health, brush twice a day. Brushing removes food particles from your mouth that bacteria can ferment into acid.

Regular brushing removes oral bacteria as well as acids. To allow your teeth to recover from these frequent threats, dentists recommend brushing twice a day. The best time to brush your teeth is right before going to bed. This gets rid of the germs and acid that have accumulated on teeth during the day. Make sure that you are brushing correctly.

Floss at least once daily

Flossing is just as important as cleaning your teeth. The depth of cleaning it provides is very important, and you can always rely on it. It gets in between teeth to clean areas that a toothbrush cannot reach. Daily cleaning is still advised in these places, though, since bacteria and plaque can build up and damage your teeth.

Using a mouthwash is also a fantastic option. It rinses areas that are inaccessible to brushing and flossing. By using an antibacterial mouthwash, you get rid of the germs in your mouth that cause acid reflux and foul breath. Some mouthwashes also include fluoride to help with the process of restoring your minerals.

Maintain a balanced, low-sugar diet

Staying away from sugary meals and beverages will be a huge advantage. Even bland meals like rice have enough sugars to hasten tooth decay. Sugar undergoes further acidification by oral microbes.

Rinse your mouth with water after consuming anything sugar-containing to lessen the damaging effects of sugar on your teeth. A good smile is primarily preventive, which is why routine dental exams and cleanings are so important.

Dental checkups also make it possible to identify and address problems in their early stages. Eating and drinking sugar-filled foods and beverages is the worst thing a person can do to their teeth.