Good oral health may seem to come naturally to some people and seem completely out of reach to other people. Like many seemingly impossibilities, oral health is possible for everyone who understands how our mouth is like a seesaw!
On one end of the seesaw is the bacteria, and on the other side are the things we do to combat the bacteria. The bacteria tip the seesaw to their side when we eat because the bacteria eat what we eat and then produce acid. We tip the seesaw to our side when the acid doesn't effect us. We can do many things to tip the seesaw to our side, which will prevent cavities and gum disease. Here are five things we can do to make sure the bacterial acid doesn't win:
1. Sugarless gum or candy. For the first thirty minutes after eating we are most susceptible to acid, so we can combat it with chewing sugarless gum, sucking on sugarless candy, or at the very least swishing with water. Anything to promote our saliva, which acts as a natural acid buffer.
2. Promote saliva. On that same note, our saliva is our natural protector from cavities and gum disease, so if we are taking medicine that gives us dry mouth as a side effect, or if we just notice that we have a dry mouth, we should do things that make saliva, keeping our mouth wet as often as we can, perhaps discussing changing medications if possible, or cleaning our teeth frequently to prevent the build-up of bacteria.
3. Brush and floss. Brushing our teeth and flossing between our teeth both mechanically remove build-ups of bacteria. The less bacteria, the less acid can be produced.
4. Fluoride. When we use fluoridated toothpaste, we are helping remineralize places where the bacterial acid has demineralized our teeth. The acid produced by bacteria can make small white spots on our teeth that are whiter than our natural tooth color. These "white spots" can be a precursor to cavities, so if you see white spots on your teeth, have your health professional evaluate them.
5. Regular visit to the dentist. As previously posted, getting your teeth clean is more than just a gimmick: at the dental office, your teeth are cleaned below the gums to a degree, and all of your teeth, gums, and bone levels are evaluated to let you know as soon as possible of any trends you should be aware of.
These five suggestions can help to keep the seesaw on your side, in other words, the bacterial acid will be neutralized.
Ever notice that when you get tired, your eyes get dry or your mouth gets dry? Well, for most of us, this is our body shutting off the water for the night. This has implications for your mouth and your overall health because your natural oral protector, your saliva, is reduced while you sleep. If you haven't cleaned your teeth well before bed, then the bacteria still in your mouth can have a party all night long! They build up tartar, which are essentially large colonies of attached bacteria to your teeth. This situation can lead to gum disease and more cavities.
