Avoiding Tooth Decay

This common dental problem can largely be avoided if you follow simple advice from our Chelmsford dentist.

This will be one of our more ‘back to basics’ blogs. For all that modern dentistry can now offer, some things remain the same and the threat to our teeth from decay is one of the most common dental problems. We will look at how this happens and what our Chelmsford patients can do to help themselves, and their children, to avoid at least most of it.

What is tooth decay?

Our teeth are protected by a hard layer that is made from enamel. It is this that allows us to bite into reasonably hard foods without too much concern about any potential damage. It also protects the more vulnerable inner part of our teeth and, as such, it is essential to keep this healthy.

When we eat certain foods, such as those that are high in sugar or starches, the bacteria in our mouths start to feed on these sugars and, in the process, produce acids which start to damage the enamel layer of our teeth. We will look at how to minimise this shortly. Left to their own devices though, these acids will eat away at the enamel and cause cavities to appear. This then allows bacteria into the inner part of our teeth which leads to a whole new world of problems that require treatments such as fillings, crown, root canal procedures or even extractions.

Prevention starts young

Before we move on to adults, it is worth saying that preventing this problem starts from a young age. Getting our kids into good eating habits as well as supervising them while they brush their teeth until you are confident they are doing so correctly, will go a long way to helping them have healthy teeth. Making sure that they see a children’s dentist at Blue Sky Dental on a regular basis is essential as well. If you have children, now is a good time to assess if you are doing all you can for them in this area and make any changes that are necessary.

Diet

As mentioned just now, sugary and starchy foods are best kept to a minimum. To an extent, anything that we eat can provide sugars that lead to these ‘acid attacks’, but that doesn’t mean that we should provide the potentially harmful bacteria with a banquet! Limiting these items and eating a healthy and tooth friendly diet will certainly make it easier to keep our teeth free from decay, as well as helping to prevent gum disease too. In addition to brushing and flossing, which we will come to shortly, there are a couple of simple tips that can help reduce the acidity in your mouth.

After a meal, try to drink some water. Swilling this around your mouth will dislodge quite a bit of trapped food and remove a food source for bacteria until it is time to clean your teeth. Secondly, consider finishing a meal with a small piece of cheese. While this may sound a bit odd, it actually helps to neutralise the acidity of your mouth and helps to protect your tooth enamel.

Cleaning

Most of us will brush our teeth twice a day but we may not do so as well as we think that we do. There are a few simple things to check to make sure that you are doing this as best as you can.

1. Make sure that you brush for two minutes each time. This is actual brushing time and doesn’t include time spent checking your phone.
2. Does your toothpaste contain fluoride? Most toothpastes do but it is worth checking yours to be sure as this helps to strengthen tooth enamel.
3. How old is your toothbrush? Worn bristles are less effective at cleaning your teeth and brushes or brush heads should be changed around every three months
4. Don’t neglect the gums. If you ‘flat brush’ you are missing parts of the teeth. Angle your brush slightly towards the gums so that debris and bacteria is removed from the gum line.
5. Spit but don’t rinse. Leaving the fluoride toothpaste on your teeth will help it to strengthen the enamel layer of your teeth.
6. Use dental floss. This should be non-negotiable. Flossing is a great way of removing food and bacteria that gets trapped in tight spaces. Ask one of the dentists at Blue Sky Dental to show you how to do this if you find it difficult.

Treatments

Hopefully, the above advice should keep your teeth as decay free as possible, but there are areas of the mouth that can be trickier to clean and none of us are perfect. If you do have tooth decay, the key is to treat it as soon as possible. This is why it is essential that you see us every six months for a check up. Most early signs of tooth decay can be treated with a small filling. We can even provide these using a tooth coloured material to make them much less visible. More advanced decay may require larger fillings, a crown or even root canal treatment. Extractions are also a possibility so please do get your teeth checked regularly.

Seeing the dental hygienist is also a great way to keep your teeth and gums healthy and also for educational advice as to how you can improve your own oral health care.

To make an appointment at our Chelmsford dentist for a check up, or if you suspect you might have tooth decay, give us a call as soon as you can on 01245 211070.

We will arrange an appointment to get you back on track to having healthy teeth.