Easy Ways To Prevent Cavities

There are many easy ways to prevent cavities that complement the key practices of brushing and flossing. Everyone knows that avoiding cavities is a top priority for maintaining oral health. Since cavities are a problem for children as well adults, cavity prevention should be practiced by people of all ages.

Cavities form when your teeth begin to decay due to acids produced by harmful bacteria in your mouth. If you fail to maintain good oral hygiene, these bacteria will contribute to a build-up of plaque, causing teeth to decay gradually. Without treatment, cavities slowly become larger and deeper. This can eventually lead to severe pain, infection, and possible tooth loss. Aside from brushing and flossing, there are many other easy ways to prevent cavities.

Understand Your Cavity Risk Level

A critical part of maintaining your oral health is understanding your cavity risk level. Visiting a dentist regularly can give you that information and help you devise an efficient strategy. The good news is that visits can be less frequent if your risk is low.

Limit Snacking

The less we eat, the fewer food debris left behind for hungry oral bacteria. Don’t feed them the sugar they need to grow and reproduce. Acid production, which causes tooth decay, is one of their by-products.

You help expedite this process the more you make sugar accessible to oral bacteria. Snacking and sipping on sugary foods and beverages provides additional opportunity for sugar to stay in saliva and feed these oral bacteria. Limiting snack time is an easy way to prevent cavities.  Refraining from eating or drinking decreases tooth exposure to the damaging sugars and acids found in many snack beverages and foods.

Drink More Water

Water is one of the healthiest drinks around. Water helps distribute nutrients and remove waste. Our bodies are more than 60% water.During and after meals, drinking water helps flush away food particles. It’s even better with fluoridated water, which supports and increases tooth health while preventing cavity formation.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking is one of the leading causes of a wide range of harmful conditions that threaten nearly every part of the body. Your mouth, gums, and teeth are not exempt from threats posed by smoking and oral tobacco use.  In addition to tooth discoloration, smoking can lead to gum disease, tooth loss, and even oral cancer.

Water Flossing

Water flossing is another easy way to prevent cavities, because of how effortlessly one can clean along the gum line, between teeth, and other difficult-to-reach areas of the mouth. The  Aquapick AQ-230 and AQ-350 can help you efficiently and effectively clean teeth with their adjustable, ultra-fine, 0.6mm water streams. Ergonomically designed, with IPX7 waterproofing, the AQ-230 generates water flow pulsing 1,400 times per minute in a cordless portable model. The larger countertop AQ-350 delivers water flow that pulses 2,400 times per minute from its 600 ml water tank.  Both water flossers provide thorough deep cleaning while massaging gums.