Two ways to prevent cavities
Posted on: 17 May 2017
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Cavities are holes that develop in teeth. They appear when the acid made by bacterial plaque erodes the tooth's enamel and dentin. They are painful and can weaken the structure of the tooth, making it more prone to breakage. Here are two things that you can do to prevent cavities from occurring.
Make some dietary adjustments
It's a widely-acknowledged fact that sugar can cause cavities. This is because bacterial plaque inside the mouth use sugar to create teeth-eroding acid. Due to the well-established link between sugar and tooth decay, most dentists recommend that people avoid consuming meals that contain a lot of sugar.
However, sugar can be found in hundreds of everyday foods and drinks and, as such, can be difficult to avoid. If you feel that it's not realistic to completely eliminate sugar from your diet, it's worth making some minor adjustments, which should help to minimise the negative impact it has on your teeth.
For example, if you tend to sip on sugary fizzy drinks or squash throughout the day, consider switching to reduced-sugar versions of these drinks. Additionally, try to get into the habit of consuming these liquids through a straw, as this can help to limit the amount of sugar that comes into contact with your teeth.
Furthermore, after eating a sweet snack or dessert, try to have a small portion of cheese. Cheese has been shown to neutralise the acids that plaque produces after they consume sugar. This can help to reduce the amount of cavity-inducing decay that the sugar causes.
Go for a scale and polish once or twice a year
Even if you have a particularly thorough oral hygiene routine, you will almost certainly develop dental calculus (hardened plaque) in some areas of your teeth, as it's simply not possible for a toothbrush to access every single crevice of the mouth. Dental calculus cannot be removed with a toothbrush; it needs to be scraped off with special dental instruments.
Failing to have this substance removed on a regular basis could significantly increase the likelihood of you developing cavities. This is because dental calculus contains bacterial plaque which will continually erode the tooth's dentin and enamel until it is removed. The presence of dental calculus can also result in the gums becoming inflamed which, in turn, may lead to periodontal disease.
Having your dentist perform a scale and polish on your teeth once or twice a year is the only way to prevent this substance from eating away at your teeth and causing cavities.