14 Mar Strengthening Tooth Enamel
Ways To Strengthen Tooth Enamel
Once tooth enamel has fully eroded, it’s gone for good. Fortunately, there are ways to strengthen your tooth enamel through good habits and a proper oral hygiene routine.
Your tooth enamel is similar to a suit of armor that is worn on the outside of the teeth to protect their soft, inner parts. Underneath is a layer of dentin, which is softer and darker. So having your tooth enamel become eroded makes your teeth more vulnerable to tooth decay and darkens your smile.
Strengthening Tooth Enamel
To maintain the strength of your tooth enamel, avoid starchy, sugary foods and beverages. These food products generate an acidic environment in your mouth, allowing your enamel to become eroded over time. This can eventually lead to cavities and a smile that is not as bright as it once was.
Practice Proper Oral Hygiene
It is extremely important to practice sound oral hygiene at home by brushing your teeth at least twice daily and flossing them at least once a day. This ensures that food debris does not have a chance to fuel oral bacteria that leads to plaque and cavities.
Maintain Exams and Cleanings
As good as your efforts at cleaning your teeth at home may be, it’s always possible to miss a few spots. So be sure to keep up with your routine dental exam and cleaning appointments so that your dental team can spot any signs of trouble at an early stage, and remove plaque and tartar from your teeth.
Dangers of Sugar
Since your tooth enamel is under attack each day, it is important to know how to protect and strengthen it. Sugars found in snacks like candies and cakes are particularly harmful to the teeth, as well as foods containing carbohydrates like crackers and white bread. Bacteria is strengthened by these foods, leading to stains and sensitivity that can indicate the loss of tooth enamel.
Sugary sodas are particularly harmful to the teeth, as they contain both sugar and acids. The acids in these drinks can erode your tooth enamel, making teeth more susceptible to tooth decay. So it’s a good idea to rinse your mouth out with water after you finish a soda, and limit your overall intake of these sugary beverages.
Helpful Foods
Consuming dairy products like milk, cheese, kefir, and yogurt should provide you with enough calcium and phosphorus to help in remineralizing your teeth. Dairy products like yogurt and kefir are also good for your overall health because they contain probiotics. Probiotics feed certain kinds of bacteria in your digestive tract that support your immune system.
Two other healthy foods for protecting tooth enamel are carrots and celery. They stimulate saliva production to help remove bacteria and keep teeth clean.
For More Information
If you would like to receive additional information about how to strengthen your tooth enamel, or want to explore your treatment options for protecting your teeth and smile, please contact Blue Wave Dental Care today.