5 Tips for Having Your Cake and Avoiding Dental Cavities, Too
It is pretty easy to blame your cavities on candy and sugar, but that isn’t necessarily the case. If you were to ask a St. Augustine dentist for the truth, you would learn that sugar can only cause tooth decay when it is processed by a certain cavity-causing bacteria or when it is consumed frequently and in large amounts throughout the day. The low quantity of cavity-causing bacteria in certain individuals naturally reduces their risk for cavities, and the same can be said for individuals who limit the frequency of their sugar consumption.
To ensure that you can have your cake and avoid cavities too, check out the following tips:
- Take the test. Your dentist may have the ability to perform a test which can measure your risk for cavity-causing bacteria. If your risk level is high, it could mean that your mouth produces more acid than someone with a lower score. Ask your dentist for suggestions on lowering the number of bad bacteria in your mouth.
- Cut back. The teeth begin to demineralize with each sugar exposure. Limiting your sugar consumption to a desert at normal mealtimes rather than extra snacks between meals is the best way to reduce the frequency of bacterial acid attacks.
- Smart sweets. Some sweet snacks are worse than others, so avoid those that dissolve slowly, are sticky, or contain other acidic ingredients.
- Protect yourself. After consuming sugar, chew mints and gums that contain xylitol to fight the production of acids.
- Avoid the acid bath. Beverages like fruit juice, energy drinks, and sports drinks are all not only acidic but also filled with sugar for a double dose of enamel erosion. Avoid bathing your teeth in acid to avoid eroded, unhealthy, rough, or chalky-looking teeth.
For more help in the battle against tooth decay, contact a dentist in St. Augustine today.