Who doesn’t love a sugary treat for themselves? We all love sweets every now and then, but failing to keep up good habits can be detrimental to your oral health. That is why we are asking our Los Algodones dentists all about it to make up this article.
Why is sugar harmful to the teeth
As you may know, there are tons and tons of bacteria inside our mouth. Some are good like those you find in yogurt, while other are bad that are the ones that cause plaque.
Usually, this bacteria feeds off sugar and starchy foods in order to produce harmful acids that wear down you r enamel. So when the environment is rich in sugar, that is when they strive and have the tools to cause harm. And it worsens if you turn a blind eye on it.
You and tooth decay
Tooth decay is also referred as dental caries, and it is when the acid from plaque attacks the enamel leaving holes and causing cavities.
Since your teeth are constantly affected by tooth decay, it is important to know how this can be addressed, which is through fluoride. As the acids demineralize your teeth, you have to find ways in order to make their impact lowers while upping the remineralization.
Where can we usually find sugar
There are many products that contain sugar, and the goal here is to be aware of it. The point here is to know what usually has sugar in order to be prepared against it.
Of course, we have the most usual ones which are sodas and candies. Those are simple enough. But then there are sauces such as BBQ, ketchup and pasta sauce which have a higher sugar content than we think. On that same train, we can find many yogurts as well as chocolate milk. And furthermore, there is plenty of sugar in granola, sports drinks and fruit juice.
Tips for a better oral health
As we mentioned before, we want to stop the bacteria from eating away our tooth enamel. So for this we have to keep good dental habits in order to not only stop it, but increase our remineralization. So for a bright and healthy smile, you ought to follow these:
- Brushing twice a day. Typically when waking up and before going to bed. This way the bacteria won’t have a chance attacking our teeth when we are sleeping. Los Algodones dentists recommend each session to last about 2 minutes, so listen to a song as you brush!
- Flossing once a day. It can be done before or after brushing, and it helps greatly against gum disease. Remember you want to treat every tooth individually and make sure to rinse your mouth afterwards.
- Using a therapeutic mouth rinse. There are actually two kinds, cosmetic and therapeutic. Cosmetic is only for masking smells, whereas therapeutic actively treats an issue.
- Keeping yourself hydrated. Not only does this protect your mouth against dry mouth, there is also fluoride in tap water.
- Chewing on sugar-free gum. It is sugar-free, as it uses an alternative sweetener, xylitol. Moreover, it boosts your saliva production, which helps rinsing your mouth from bacteria.
- Visiting your dentist twice a year. What a better way to protect yourself than having a professional’s help? A dentist will help you clean all the tough spots and tell you what you should be doing better! Also, they keep track of how your mouth changes throughout the years.