A new study done by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than 25 percent of American adults have untreated tooth decay, and 91 percent have at least one tooth that has been treated for tooth decay. These results are an improvement from the 1960s, when there were many more reports of tooth decay and tooth loss as a result, but there is still room for improvement.
These four tips will help you ward off tooth decay before it begins:
Visit your dentist regularly
Visiting your dentist regularly gives opportunity to find and identify potential gum diseases, cavities, and gingivitis. When you visit the dentist regularly, he gets the chance to thoroughly examine your teeth. This helps the dentist to be aware of abnormalities.
Beware of dry mouth
If you are experiencing dry mouth, it could be a sign that something is wrong. The production of saliva helps protect against tooth decay, so when that production is lacking, you are more likely to develop cavities and tooth decay as the enamel wears off.
Floss once per day
Have you ever wondered why it is that, each time you go to the dentist, the hygienist tells you that you need to floss more? That’s because flossing is one of the most important aspects of maintaining ideal oral health. Flossing daily helps remove plaque from teeth and ward off developing diseases. Flossing every day also cleans hard-to-reach places that are prone to bacterial infections. One easy way to floss is to use floss picks. They are disposable flossing tools that make flossing a very quick task.
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables
Believe it or not, eating fruits and vegetables strengthens your teeth, whitens them, and leaves your teeth with less plaque than before you started eating them. Fruits and vegetables also have loads of vitamins and minerals that will help your body’s immune system ward off disease and bacteria.
Tooth decay can be treated, but not cured. Because this is the case, preventative options are much more effective than treating the problem after it has already started. Talk to your dentist to see how you can begin preventing tooth decay today.
Visit https://www.ada.org/en/mouthhealthy for more information.