How to prevent tooth decay

Cavities take quite a long time to develop, in fact, with regular visits, your dentist can often detect changes in your tooth enamel long before a hole develops. Holes in teeth begin when bacteria that are fueled by sugars in your saliva start eroding the good minerals in your teeth and break down tooth enamel. As the enamel wears away, cavities start to develop.

Eating or drinking sugary or starchy foods feeds the bad bacteria that attack tooth enamel and causes an ‘acid attack’.

If you eat sugary or starchy foods often, and you don’t clean your teeth after eating these foods, you’re leaving an acidic environment in your mouth giving acid ample opportunity to attack enamel.

It’s also important to know that dental hygiene is even more important for some people that have enamel that is more susceptible to acid attack because of genetic factors as well as:

• Exposure to certain medications when you were an infant or still in your mother’s womb;
• Infections and/or poor nutrition when you were a baby; and,
• Trauma to your teeth or jaw.

But, tooth enamel can be hardened and even repaired by replacing the minerals lost in tooth enamel during an acid attack.

You can prevent tooth decay and maintain healthy teeth by:

• Good mouth hygiene such as brushing your teeth after eating sugary or starchy foods;
• Chewing gum after meals to neutralize acid in your mouth;
• Replenishing the minerals in your teeth by drinking tap water (containing fluoride);
• Eating a diet high in vegetables, high-water fruits, lean proteins and skim dairy products; and,
• Using toothpaste design to replenish minerals in your teeth.

Another easy way to prevent tooth decay is to visit your dentist regularly. Our Point Cook dentists are trained to identify changes in tooth enamel and prevent cavities before they occur. To make an appointment call Wyndham Dental Solutions on (03) 9741 1009.