We can all agree that we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to tasty treats in this day and age.
Between destructive acidic, sugary treats and improper oral hygiene practices, your teeth are taking an unnecessary beating! Really, there should be no excuse for damaged teeth, as we are fortunate enough to have access to a wide range of oral hygiene products: from whitening pastes and minty flosses to ultra-flash electric toothbrushes! If there’s any factor that lets our teeth down…it’s us.
Starting today, here are a few lifestyle changes you might need to make if you’re intending to keep your teeth healthy and bright:
Preventing dental erosion
We have only to wander down to the nearest dairy or supermarket to obtain a savoury, sweet, or acidic fix. While treats offer temporary delight, the effect they have on your teeth is long lasting and, ultimately, irreversible.
Ever heard of ‘extrinsic acid’? It’s essentially the villainous acid lurking in every aspirin, orange, glass of fizzy, juice or wine you consume. This acid meets our teeth often. Generally, on a daily basis. It erodes the protective enamel on our teeth and eventually starts to decay them one by one.
If you can tone down your intake of treats or heavily acidic consumables, you’d certainly be doing your teeth a favour! If not, then we can’t stress enough how important it is to brush regularly!
Brushing – the wrong and right way
On the subject of brushing, it should definitely be noted that not all brushing is necessarily good for your teeth. Perfect example: brushing right away after a meal.
While some might think this a healthy habit to uphold, it’s actually dealing damage to your poor teeth. Each tooth needs a little time after a meal to ‘get its defences back up’. Picture a dental shield being lowered temporarily after your teeth have finished chewing a meal: you’ll want to wait at least thirty minutes for it to be back up and running again before scrubbing with a coarse brush.
Unsightly staining
While this one is more cosmetic than the other dental do’s and don’ts, it’s still a surprisingly common problem!
If red wine and coffee are a few of your favorite things, then do yourself a favour and keep a travel toothbrush and paste on hand if you can. Once again: don’t brush straight away (during your dental ‘defences down’ state) after eating and drinking, but do ensure that the drink doesn’t stick around long enough to stain.
Also, drink in moderation!
Savour that saliva
Did you know that your saliva is actually a safety mechanism in your mouth? It plays a vital part in protecting your teeth from acids by diluting their potency. Consider it your mouth’s natural cleaning system: working hard to buffer harmful substances and wash away old food pieces.
If your mouth is dry, then your teeth are at risk of being damaged more quickly. Keep a bottle of water on hand to ensure that your body is hydrated enough to be producing sufficient amounts of saliva.
If your mouth is struggling to produce saliva (regardless of how much water you drink) then it might be a good idea to visit your Lower Hutt Dentist. Your dentist can help restore balance to the ‘natural safety system’ in your mouth. The key is to avoid any erosion before it occurs!
Are you feel like your teeth are too far gone to start making these changes? Fear not! Your dentist is skilled at restoring teeth, and replacing if necessary. Regular checkups with your dentist are the best thing you can do for your dental hygiene, as he or she will be able to offer toothy tips and tricks catered specifically to you and your lifestyle.