Cavities are one of the most common health problems and can occur in anyone’s mouth. The good news is that there are ways that you can effectively prevent cavities. Keep reading to find out what you can do to keep your teeth cavity-free.
What Are Cavities?
Cavities, also known as tooth decay, are damaged areas of your teeth that open up into tiny holes. If not treated properly, cavities can cause many other complications, such as severe toothaches and infections.
What Causes Cavities?
Cavities occur for a few reasons, but luckily, they’re mostly avoidable causes. When you consume foods high in sugar or starches, the bacteria in your mouth feed on those things forming plaque. If you don’t clean your teeth properly, that plaque builds up and begins the gradual process of tooth decay.
How Can I Prevent Cavities?
The best thing you can do to reduce your risk of them is to brush your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends the 2×2 method, brushing your teeth twice daily, for two minutes each time.
Visit your dentist regularly. It’s important for your oral hygiene to visit the dentist regularly. Your dentist will give your mouth a more thorough cleaning than you can do yourself. They will also be able to spot early signs of them and advise you on how to best combat them.
Drinking water with fluoride is another great way to reduce your risk of cavities. Most public water supplies already have fluoride added, so drinking tap water instead of bottled water is an easy way to help prevent cavities. For even further protection, you can use a fluoride mouthwash to rinse regularly.
Floss regularly to reach that plaque that brushing alone can’t reach.
Read our related blog, How to Floss: A Step-by-Step Guide for Flossing Teeth Correctly, to learn more about flossing your teeth.
Eat Healthy Foods. Foods and beverages that are high in sugar accelerate tooth decay and cavities. Avoiding these sugary items that cause tooth decay is an effective way to protect yourself against cavities.
To learn more about how to cut back on sugar, read our related blog, 5 Steps to Minimize Your Sugar Intake to Protect Your Oral Health.
Cavity Prevention | The Landing Dental Spa
If you are prone to cavities or have questions about cavity prevention, we invite you to make an appointment at The Landing Dental Spa. Located in Morgantown, West Virginia, our relaxing environment will calm and soothe you as our caring staff treats you adequately. For a comfortable, relaxing, and spa-like dental appointment, call us today at 304-594-2200 or contact us online here. We look forward to making you smile!
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