When you visit your Highlands Ranch Dentist, do you get hit with a blow to your mouth and end up with cavities? At Highlands Ranch Family Dental, we have put together a few great tips to avoid cavities.
“Brush and floss your teeth to avoid cavities.” Sound familiar? Just about everyone knows they should brush (and floss). But do you know why?
While we all know we’re supposed to brush and floss to keep our teeth healthy, cavities remain a common problem that we all have to contend with at one point or another:
Tooth decay, an infectious disease — is the second most common disease, after the common cold.
One in four adults have cavities, and more than half of teenagers in the US have had cavities. Oral health is often taken for granted, but it is an essential part of our everyday lives. It’s never too late to take control of your oral health, and prevent dental problems.
While brushing and flossing are two of the most important daily habits for maintaining healthy teeth and gums — there are several other simple things you can do to avoid toothaches or worse — tooth loss.
Here are 4 things that most people can easily do to prevent cavities.
1. Know your cavity risk level
The first step in taking control of your oral health is knowing what your cavity risk level is. The best way to know this is through a comprehensive dental exam. With regular examinations and discussion with your dentist, you will know where you stand, which treatments may be needed, as well as which changes in oral hygiene and diet may help. Once you know your risk level, then you take a more specific, effective approach to improving your oral health.
Another advantage of knowing your cavity risk level: it will also determine how often dental visits are needed. The lower your risk, the less often you should need dental visits. Find out and discuss your risk level with your dentist during regular dental exams.
2. Brush your teeth regularly, properly and with the right brush
This is the most obvious tip, and you’ve heard it since you were too small to ride the big rides. But, let us tell you why it’s so important for your oral health – and your overall health.
Brushing Helps Get Rid of Bacteria!
Because of the huge bacteria and plaque-fighting power, it provides in just a few minutes a day, brushing your teeth is one of the simplest, yet most effective ways to prevent cavities. Be sure to brush after meals and before bed. Brushing before bed (after your late night snack) is particularly important because letting those bacteria linger on your teeth overnight can allow enamel-damaging acid to form (ultimately leading to cavities).
Also, using an antimicrobial mouthwash helps to clean away the bacteria while freshening breath.
Watch the video below to see how to properly brush your teeth and avoid cavities
3. Cut back on sugary and acidic drinks — and drink more water
Need that morning latte, daily cup of coffee, or hot cup of tea? Prolonged exposure to teeth of acidic coffee or tea, compounded by added sugar or even just added milk can increase your risk for new cavities. Go ahead, enjoy your coffee! But try to keep it to 20 minutes or less, and rinse your mouth with water after.
The problem with sipping coffee with cavity causing additives such as sugar, syrups and cream is that the harmful sugars stay in your saliva over a long period of time. To counter this, drink some water along with other drinks to rinse your mouth and keep saliva from becoming too sugary and eating away at your teeth. Also, try sipping coffee from a straw which helps to keep those sugary liquids off your teeth and out of your saliva.
How Does Drinking Water Prevent Cavities?
Drinking water with fluoride, is one of the easiest and most beneficial things you can do to help prevent cavities.
Water is unlike any other drink and is by far the healthiest drink available. Our bodies are made of 60% water, and staying hydrated helps your system distribute healthy nutrients, gets rid of waste, gives your skin a healthy glow and keeps your muscles moving. And–drinking water really helps your teeth stay healthy – especially if it’s fluoridated.
4. Get into the habit of flossing
We know, no one like to floss. But think about it this way: our teeth have 5 sides, and all of them need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Even when we brush every day, we’re still only cleaning 3 of those sides. So, without flossing, you’re really only cleaning about half of your teeth surface with brushing alone.
And remember, flossing only takes a few minutes a day – what else can you do for just a few minutes that can improve your health so much?
So, how do you start the flossing habit? Think of it as ‘multi-tasking’, something we all love doing. Try flossing while watching TV, or while reading a book in bed. Ideally, you should floss soon after a meal, or before bedtime, as with brushing your tooth. However, flossing is actually easier and more convenient because you can do it on the go. It’s really just like any other healthy habit – the key is starting small, and developing a routine that stick.
Schedule Your Appointment Today
Give us a call today at 303-346-4495 or email us at [email protected] to schedule your first visit. We would love to work with you toward a better, brighter smile.
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