The trick to keeping your smile healthy and beautiful for life is to do prevent chronic dental issues from forming and having the chance to cause trouble. For cavities, especially, that means outsmarting harmful oral bacteria that weaken and compromise your tooth enamel, allowing the bacteria to infect your tooth’s structure. Oral bacteria form plaque to protect themselves throughout the day, and to effectively control their numbers, you have to effectively control their ability to form plaque and calcify into tartar.
1. Don’t let plaque get comfortable.
Not all oral bacteria are harmful; in fact, many are helpful, so eliminating oral bacteria completely isn’t an option for stopping plaque. However, you can stop plaque from settling too comfortably on your teeth by brushing them at least twice every day and flossing at least once. Also, be sure to brush your teeth after meals, when possible, to stop plaque from flourishing as they consume the nutrients in leftover food particles.
2. Don’t feed harmful oral bacteria.
Speaking of feeding oral bacteria—the specific bacteria type, Streptococcus mutans, is the main cause of cavities. As they consume sugar, they convert it into acids that weaken tooth enamel by sapping the minerals from your teeth. The more sugar and carbs that you expose your teeth to, the more acid oral bacteria can produce and the greater your risks of cavity development will be.
3. Don’t let food linger too long.
Even after a healthy meal, oral bacteria can consume other carbs and nutrients to produce potentially harmful substances. If you can’t brush your teeth after a meal, then rinse your mouth thoroughly with water to wash away food debris and deprive oral bacteria of their fuel.
Learn More About How to Prevent Cavities
Preventing cavities is a team effort between you and your dentist, and it’s most successful when you practice good hygiene and preventive dental care consistently. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling Austin General Dentistry in Austin, TX today at 512-346-5540.
