words Al Woods
The teeth are one of the most important bones in our body needed for our survival. Your teeth’s main job is to break down food into a manageable size so that it can be ingested and digested properly in your stomach. From then on we get all the necessary vitamins, proteins, and carbohydrates that are necessary for the functioning of the body and mind.
For this main reason, it is very important to look after your teeth by keeping your mouth clean and healthy. By keeping our mouth healthy, we aid in preventing disease, infection, and full-on decay of our teeth. However, keeping a mouth clean and healthy is also important for aesthetic reasons. Research shows that people who have all their teeth at age 74 have a greater chance of reaching 100, thus healthy teeth increase life expectancy, quality of life, and in general, reduces health problems.
Tooth Decay
Tooth decay occurs when foods that contain sugars and/or starches leave residue on the teeth. Some foods that are known to cause acids include soda, candy, chocolate, bread, cereal, and fruits. Bacteria that live in the mouth end up digesting these foods and releasing acids as a result. When these bacteria die, they combine with acid, saliva, and other food debris to form what is known as plaque. Plaque attaches itself to the teeth and builds up over time. The acids in plaque end up dissolving the surface layer of the teeth known as enamel. The enamel is the strongest layer of the tooth, and it is very hard to build back up. After this is dissolved, the acids have an easy way into the inside layers of your teeth. They create holes called cavities. Eventually, if these holes are left untreated, they get filled with food debris and other bacteria and become very hard to clean and in turn, cause major infections requiring the teeth to eventually be taken out.
Tooth Repair
Though cosmetic dentists offer a full range of family and cosmetic dentistry treatments that can help repair your teeth and make them aesthetically better. The procedures, however, can be costly and are never a full-on replacement for your actual teeth. These include dental implants that are required when your teeth are taken out due to severe infections or decay. Though costly to implement, the experts from https://g4bygolpa.com/what-are-teeth-implants agree that dental implants are a good solution for teeth. However, before getting to this final stage, most people go to the dentist to perform a deep cleaning of their plaque and if they do have any cavities, they get those filled to extend the life of their teeth as much as possible.
Tooth Decay Preventive Maintenance
Most dentists and medical doctors recommend taking the following steps to improve your oral hygiene and ensure that your teeth last a very long time.
- Brush at least twice a day: The best time would be right after meals and with a toothbrush that has a small head so you can better access your back teeth as well.
- Use fluoridated toothpaste: Fluoride is known to help harden tooth enamel which is the strongest layer of your teeth.
- Brush thoroughly: Toothbrushing should be between two and three minutes. You must ensure that all sides of the teeth are fully cleaned.
- Floss daily: Flossing helps get rid of food debris that is trapped underneath your gums and in between teeth. These areas cannot be reached by the bristles of your toothbrush head.
- Limit acidic drinks: Acidic drinks such as pop, soft drinks, and fruit juices are known to soften tooth enamel by dissolving its minerals causing cavities and plaque build-up.
- Limit sugary food: As mentioned previously sugars are converted into acids from bacteria in your mouth.
- Protect teeth from injury: If you are into sports it is important to wear a mouthguard or helmet to prevent your teeth and gums from being broken/injured.
- Avoid using teeth for anything else other than chewing food: Tooth material is only meant for chewing relatively soft foods. If you use them as a tool for cracking nuts, removing bottle tops, or ripping packages you risk chipping or breaking them.
- Follow up with your dentist regularly: Just like a car, teeth require regular maintenance to perform as intended. Your dentist will perform the necessary inspections of your teeth and first clean out plaque which can be difficult to clean up at home and requires some special tools and treatments. It is recommended that you go to your dentist at least once every 3 to 6 months, even if you feel that you have a healthy mouth.
Teeth are a means for survival and they should be looked after appropriately. Preventive maintenance is very important for oral health and hygiene. If the above-mentioned steps are performed regularly throughout one’s lifetime it is guaranteed that they will have most of their original teeth intact and save a lot of money from expensive tooth procedures.
