Protect Your Teeth From Decay, Starting Today
Approximately 2.3 billion people suffer from tooth decay worldwide, which is just over 25% of the population. When you consider that decay is completely preventable, this is a scarily high number.
A combination of modern high-sugar and acid diets, a lack of visits to have your teeth checked over, and using the incorrect dental aids can easily allow dental decay to slide in, uninvited into your life.
So if decay is avoidable, how do you stop it?
Here are some immediate steps you can incorporate to avoid dental decay in the future.
Protect Your Teeth From Decay, Starting Today
Use a fluoride toothpaste
A common misconception we come across as dentists is that patients believe all toothpastes are the same. In reality, toothpastes containing fluoride perform significantly better than those without, providing paramount protection against cavities.
Fluoride is a naturally-occurring substance found in the earth’s crust. In microdoses, it can fortify tooth enamel, preventing demineralisation. This reduces the rate at which tooth decay can progress.
Zing’s fluoride toothpaste contains both fluoride, and hydroxyapatite, which restores your enamel’s natural gloss and translucency. You can also get up to 40% off your first box.
Eat your way to reduced decay
Just as there are foods that boost the health of specific organs, there are those which strengthen your teeth.
Some of the best foods for fending off decay include:
Cheese: neutralises acids in your mouth = helps to protect your tooth enamel when acid attacks occur.
Leafy greens: these produce nitric oxide which has been proven to prevent the levels of bad bacteria in the mouth, reducing plaque and the process, reducing decay. Leafy greens are also rich in water content, stimulating the saliva production in your mouth, and washing away bacteria and food particles.
Turkey: when combined with calcium, the phosphorous in turkey thrives as a preventive force against demineralisation of tooth enamel. Stronger tooth enamel = a stronger armour against decay.
Stop smoking (and vaping)
It mostly tends to be gum disease that crops up when the conversation around smoking and dental health arises. However, smoking (and vaping) can also cause tooth decay.
As smoking erodes your gum disease, it exposes dentine underneath your tooth enamel. This dentine is non-porous and much more vulnerable to acid attacks. So whilst decay isn’t a direct consequence of smoking, it becomes collateral damage when gum recession occurs.
There has been much speculation about the effects of vaping on your oral health. Studies are still in their infancy, but there’s no doubt that vaping dries out your mouth, preventing saliva from rinsing away food particles and bacteria in your mouth. Without this continuous flow of saliva, decay has a better chance at setting up camp in your mouth.
Ask a dentist about protecting your teeth today
Here at Nova Smiles, we’ve made it possible to speak to a dentist online (free of charge), giving you the opportunity to start changing your oral health and lifestyle habits right away.
Simply fill in this form with your oral health concerns, and one of our GDC registered dentists will respond to you as soon as possible. No obligation, no hidden costs, just honest guidance on how to better care for your teeth.
