How to Prevent Cavities and Tooth Decay: A Guide From Toothfairy™
How do you prevent cavities and tooth decay?
Toothfairy™ is here to help! We are dental professionals that specialize in dental care. Our dental blog discusses the most common dental health problems. We strive to educate people on how they can take care of their teeth and prevent cavities and tooth decay. In this blog post, we will discuss the causes of cavities as well as provide you with some tips for preventing them!
Cavities and tooth decay are among the world’s most common health problems. Cavities are permanently damaged areas in the hard surface of your teeth that develop into tiny openings or holes. They can occur on any surface of a tooth, including the enamel, root surfaces and gums. Tooth decay is caused by dental plaque – a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on your teeth. The bacteria in plaque convert the sugar in your food into acids when they’re not cleaned regularly. These acids attack the tooth enamel, causing cavities to form. If cavities aren’t treated, they get larger and affect deeper layers of your teeth. They can lead to a severe toothache, infection and tooth loss. Plaque that stays on your teeth can harden under or above your gum line into tartar, making plaque more difficult to remove and creating a shield for bacteria.
Symptoms
The signs of cavities vary, depending on their extent. When a cavity is just beginning, you may not have any symptoms at all but as the decay increases, it may cause signs such as:
- Toothache or pain in the teeth that occurs without any apparent cause
- Pain when you bite down
- Tooth sensitivity, especially pain when eating or drinking something hot, cold or sweet
- Discolouration such as brown, black or white staining on any surface of a tooth
- Visible holes in your teeth
How to Prevent Cavities
There are many ways that you can prevent cavities and tooth decay from occurring. Here are a few tips:
- Clean your teeth twice a day, once after breakfast and again before bed.
- Drink some tap water, as it contains fluoride which can help reduce tooth decay significantly. If you drink only bottled water that doesn’t contain fluoride, you’ll miss out on fluoride benefits.
- Brush your teeth for two minutes to remove dental plaque from your teeth. If possible, use an electric toothbrush as they are more effective than manual ones. Make sure that you brush all surfaces of your teeth – including the inside surface where food debris tends to hide.
- Floss your teeth once a day to remove dental plaque and food debris from in between your teeth.
- Avoid eating sugary foods and drinks, especially between meals. If you do eat them, brush your teeth afterwards.
- Make sure that you visit the dentist for regular checkups and cleanings. A professional dental cleaning removes dental plaque and tartar that can’t be removed with brushing and flossing.
- Use a dental fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash to help protect your teeth from cavities. Fluoride helps to remineralise the enamel and make it more resistant to acids.
- Consider using a cavity prevention kit from Toothfairy™. Our dental kits are designed to help you take care of your teeth and prevent cavities and tooth decay.
The best way to prevent cavities is to practice good dental hygiene habits – brushing, flossing and visiting the dentist regularly. However, if you do experience a cavity, don’t worry! Cavities can be fixed with dental fillings, dental crowns and dental bridges. If you are interested in cavity prevention and want to protect the health of your teeth, view the Toothfairy™ shop via the link below to purchase a Cavity Protection Kit. Or if you’re concerned about tooth decay or may be suffering from cavities please book an emergency video appointment with one of our dentist professionals today.
Toothfairy™ shop – https://shop.toothfairyapp.co.uk/
Emergency consultation – www.toothfairyapp.co.uk/emergency
TOOTH FAIRY HEALTHCARE LTD trading as Tooth Fairy App with its registered address at Office 1 21 Hatherton Street, WS4 2LA, Walsall, England is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and entered on the Financial Services Register, reference number 927593.