Cavities: How to Get Rid of Them and Have Strong and Healthy Teeth
The primary dental advice that dentists give and parents insist on is: brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss them after every meal to avoid cavities. Everyone knows this, no matter the age. And while some are obedient, whereas others not so much, the necessity to fight cavities is an essential one. To have healthy and white teeth, you REALLY must repeat this routine and have it transform into a daily habit. Why? Because cavities are bad, very, very bad for your teeth’s health and general health overall. Let’s explore further.
What Are Cavities?
Cavities can appear as small openings or holes in the hard surface of the teeth permanently damaging the teeth area. Also known as tooth decay or caries, they are the second most common disease after the common cold. They are an infectious disease caused by bacteria in the mouth, consumption of unhealthy and sugary snacks and drinks, and not cleaning the mouth properly afterwards. And this condition doesn’t exclude anyone – anyone can develop teeth cavities, even infants who have just grown their teeth.
Not tending to the cavities can turn into a much serious problem. Namely, larger and deeper holes will create, and they can cause severe toothaches and headaches, infection, and even tooth loss. Among the symptoms of cavities are spontaneous toothache that happens suddenly and sharply, tooth sensitivity, noticeable holes in the teeth, staining on teeth (brown, black or white), and a significant pain when one tries to bite down.
The Most Common Reasons for Cavity Development
First of all, the location of the tooth is critical. That being said, you must pay extra attention to the teeth at the back (the molars and premolars) when brushing and flossing. These teeth can collect more food particles because of their structure, and that is why they are harder to keep clean.
Secondly, the consumption of ice cream, milk, honey, sugar, soda, cake, cookies, dried fruit, mints, hard candy, dry cereal, chips, and basically every food that contains too much sugar will harm the teeth if consumed too often.
When it comes to infants, they are given bottles of milk, formula, or juice before bedtime, and the sugary ingredients from these liquids will remain on their teeth all the time while they are sleeping and will welcome decay-causing bacteria.
Another reason for the appearance of cavities is not getting enough fluoride. The fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that is present mainly in water, and it can reverse tooth decay, of course, if the condition is not that serious. For that purpose, a toothpaste such as the Clinpro 5000 toothpaste, that has a huge concentration of fluoride is prescribed by the dentist to help the person bring back the health of their teeth.
Next, dry mouth poses a severe risk of developing teeth decay. When there is no saliva in the mouth, the substances from the food get stuck between the teeth and cause bacteria. Also important to mention is the heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which can cause stomach acid to come into the mouth and damage the enamel of the teeth. This can cause grave damage to the whole teeth as well.
What to Do to Prevent Cavities?
Fortunately, there are a lot of home remedies, medicine prescribed by the dentist, and other safety measures you can take to avoid the problems the cavities create.
Hence, let’s go back to the first, most basic, and primary advice: brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss after every meal. Remember this rule and stick to it, regardless!
In addition, use fluoride toothpaste as mentioned before and take advantage of this natural mineral that reverses the process of tooth decay. Use fluoride mouth rinses as well after every meal to be 100% sure that the plaque and bacteria are washed away.
Drink tap water as fluoride is present in it in great quantities, or if you are not sure and decide to continue with bottled water, check whether it has fluoride in its ingredients list.
Also, go to the dentists regularly for check-ups and fluoride treatments. The dentists will give you professional teeth cleanings and spot early any problems.
Finally, cut back on the sugary and acidic food and beverages. Instead, drink some more water.
The Bottom Line
Taking care of the teeth is not just a hygienic routine. It is a healthy decision that keeps your whole body healthy. There are no excuses to overlook the 5 minutes or so in the morning and before you go to bed just because you are already late or too tired. Think about how 5 minutes of your time won’t change much for whatever you are doing while they can do a lot for your teeth.
And in cases when cavities begin to appear, don’t wait too long before you go to the dentist. In the meantime, take the safety measures mentioned above and make sure your teeth are well taken care of in order to avoid pain and headaches.
