Cavity Occurrence and Prevention Tips from Parkcrest Dental Group
The word “cavity” is something that no one wants to hear during a dental visit. The experienced staff at Parkcrest Dental Group are here to explain how cavities occur, so you have all the facts you need to prevent cavities and protect your perfect smile. Read on for information about how cavities happen and what you can do to prevent them.
How Do Cavities Happen?
Even with excellent dental health, many kinds of bacteria are found in the mouth. Most of these bacteria are naturally occurring and beneficial for your overall oral health. But some are bad bacteria that can be damaging to your dental health, causing bad breath, plaque build-up, and cavities.
Under normal, healthy dental conditions, bad bacteria have a tough time surviving in your mouth. To survive, bad bacteria must build up colonies in crevices and other vulnerable areas of your teeth. The bad bacteria group together and use protein in your saliva to form plaque as a protective barrier. A single bacterial colony can be host to a variety of types of bad bacteria, causing problems ranging from bad breath to cavities.
Bad bacteria require sugars and other refined carbohydrates to survive, so avoiding these ingredients in the food you eat is the best way to protect your teeth against bacteria and cavities. When bad bacteria find sugars to eat, they turn the sugar into an acid that eats away tooth enamel, creating a hole in your tooth which becomes a cavity. A cavity is bad bacteria’s favorite place to form a colony. When bacterial acid begins to eat away your tooth enamel and form a cavity, it can create a snowball effect where each problem makes the other problem worse.
What Can I Do to Prevent Cavities? 5 Tips for Healthy Smiles
Preventing bad bacteria colonies from forming is the key to a cavity-free smile. Here are five tips from Parkcrest Dental Group to ensure your smile stays healthy and bright:
- Eat healthy meals and avoid simple carbohydrates, such as sugar. If you do eat sugary snacks, make sure to brush your teeth afterward so bad bacteria can’t eat the sugars too.
- Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste after every meal or at least twice a day. Make sure to brush your teeth after eating simple carbohydrates such as sugars.
- Floss your teeth at least once a day to clear away bacterial plaques.
- Visit your dentist at least twice a year for regular check-ups and cleaning.
- Preventing cavities from an early age is very important. Parents can begin the fight against cavities with the caring pediatric dentistry services offered by Parkcrest Dental Group. We have unique solutions to ensure your child grows up with a strong, healthy smile.
Parkcrest Dental Group is Here to Help Protect Your Perfect Smile
The staff at Parkcrest Dental Group are here to provide information and quality care, so your dental health is always at its best. We want your whole family to be happy and healthy with beautiful smiles! Contact us today to schedule an appointment, and visit our website for more information.
