Ten Ways to Avoid Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is caused by the acid produced by bacteria. Certain types of bacteria produce acid when they break down the food debris that remains on the tooth surfaces after eating. A certain duration of contact time is needed before the tooth can be decayed. The food must also be of a type that is easily degradable to produce acids – not all foods can produce acids.

The top ten ways to avoid tooth decay are:

1. Reduce the amount of sugar in every meal and snack you have. Any sugar you eat adds up and accelerates your chances of having cavities

2. Brush your teeth after every meal to remove the food debris. This minimizes the time the tooth has in contact with the food particles, so that the bacteria don’t have the time to form the acids which cause decay.

3. Use fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is known to kill the bacteria, and fluorides also make the teeth stronger. These two properties of fluoride are essential in avoiding tooth decay.

4. Visit the dentist to have fluoride applied. Fluoride application at home should be supplemented with fluoride applied by the dentist. This is stronger, and stays longer on teeth, ensuring better effects on avoiding tooth decay.

5. Visit the dentist regularly to spot early signs of decay and treat them before they progress.  Early decay can be noticed easily by using various methods. Early detection and treatment reduces the problem of managing a well-formed cavity.

6. Reduce the number of times you snack. Brushing after every snack is not realistic; instead, reduce their number and bring them closer to the main meal so that you can clean your teeth after the meal, and reduce the total time the food debris sticks on the tooth.

7. The use of sugar-free chewing gums with sweeteners like xylitol and sorbitol are known to prevent development of decay. Chewing gum enhances secretion of saliva after a meal, which cleans the tooth surfaces when you cannot use toothbrush, like in the office for instance.

8. The use of antibacterial mouthwashes which kill the bacteria in the mouth can help prevent decay. They should not, however, replace the use of a toothbrush to clean your teeth.

9. You should change your toothbrush once the bristles start to flare, mostly every three months. The efficiency of cleaning is reduced with time and after this duration, and the toothbrush may do more damage to your teeth and gums than good.

10. STOP, or at least reduce, your intake of candy and biscuits. They contain a lot of processed sugar which is harmful to your teeth. Processed sugar has more chances of creating decay than unprocessed sugar.

Contact a dentist or dental hygienist at Water Brook Dental in Washington DC for a dental check-up and other dental needs. Water Brook Dental has two locations in Washington DC. The Columbia Heights location is very  conveniently located to Downtown DC, Northeast DC, Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, U-Street Corridor, Mount Pleasant and many other parts of Washington. The Eastern Ave NW location is conveniently located to Downtown Silver Spring, Takoma Park MD, Silver Spring MD, Colesville, and other parts of Maryland as well as Northern Virginia and other parts of Virginia.