Quick, think about America’s most common health issues! The common cold or flu may come to mind, and perhaps they should. But 90% of adults aged 20 and older have had at least one cavity.
Cavities can cause you to lose teeth, and they can create extreme pain. You need to know how to prevent cavities and promote your overall dental health.
How should you brush your teeth, and how does brushing your teeth prevent cavities in adults? How and when should you floss? Will changing your diet help at all?
Answer these questions and you can master cavity prevention today. Here are three tips on how to prevent getting cavities.
1. Brush Your Teeth Twice a Day
Brushing your teeth kills harmful microbes that can break down your tooth enamel and create cavities. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes a session.
It is not enough to scrub a few of your teeth. You should brush all surfaces of every tooth, including your back teeth. Scrub close to your gums so you can kill bacteria that are hiding in them.
You should use a brush with strong bristles, and you should find a toothpaste with fluoride in it. You only need a small amount of toothpaste, though you can apply more if you don’t feel you have enough.
2. Floss Once a Day
Flossing removes debris that can support bacteria and cause your gums to recede. You should floss in between each gap in your teeth, though you can use a floss pick if you find it hard to hold your floss.
Do not pull your floss down onto your gums, as you risk cutting them. Slowly ease your floss down between your teeth using a sawing motion. Once you get to your gums, rub the floss back and forth to remove debris and plaque.
You can continue to floss even if you have a gumline cavity. You should visit a website like https://thedentalteam.ca/gumline-cavity/ and schedule an appointment with a dentist. You can get your cavity fixed and get advice on how to prevent a cavity from occurring again.
3. Eat Healthy Food
Fruits and vegetables can brush plaque off of your teeth and build muscles in your jaw. You should eat a salad with raw ingredients every day, or you can eat carrots and celery.
You should stop eating carbohydrate-rich foods like bread, pasta, and sweets. These foods leave carbohydrates in the mouth that plaque can feed off of. When you have these foods, floss your teeth after you’re done so you can remove the residue they leave behind.
Master How to Prevent Cavities
You can figure out how to prevent cavities right now. You can start by brushing your teeth two times a day. Scrub all sides of each tooth, and make sure to reach into the back of your mouth to clean your far teeth.
Floss once a day, but don’t be aggressive. Move your floss between your teeth with careful gestures so you pry debris out. You can snack on hard fruits and vegetables to take plaque off of your teeth.
It’s up to you to take care of your mouth. Read more dental care guides by following our coverage.
