“So,” the dentist sighs following your six-month checkup, “this time you’ll need two fillings.”
Discouraged, you wonder what it is you’re doing or not doing that’s causing so many cavities. Every time you visit the dentist, there are more fillings to be scheduled. You’re brushing daily, flossing often, and using mouthwash occasionally. What more could you do?
Plenty. Though this plan outlined above is not wholly bad, it lacks certain basic steps that should become a staple requirement for regular oral hygiene and care. Here are some of the additional tasks that should be added:
1. Brush your teeth two to three minutes each time. It’s easy to get in a hurry and run a toothbrush lightly around your teeth for 30 seconds or so. Get an hourglass timer or check the clock to be sure you give yourself enough time to do a good job. Brush the front and back of each tooth, along with the edges that do the biting and the gum line. Then brush the gums with small, gentle circles as well as the tongue. Do this twice a day for maximum benefits.
2. Use oral care supplement products. Buy a commercial fluoride rinse if your drinking water doesn’t have fluoride. Swish for one minute once a day after brushing, and don’t drink or eat anything for 30 minutes to keep from eroding its effects. Rinse with mouthwash after brushing if your toothpaste does not have a mint flavor or lacks antibacterial ingredients. Mouthwash can kill germs that cause bad breath and cavities.
3. Floss your teeth daily. Ideally, you should floss after every meal. But if not, then make sure you floss at the end of the day to remove food particles from between teeth and under the gum line. Use a proxi-brush to get between teeth and in those hard-to-reach places. If you can’t floss or brush, at least rinse your mouth with clear water after eating, then spit (privately, of course) to remove superficial bacteria that cause plaque.
4. Avoid eating a lot of sugary foods. Anything with sugar can promote bacterial growth in your teeth, so eat sweet things sparingly. Rinse or brush your teeth immediately after eating something sweet. Sticky or hard foods can chip teeth or break off fillings, so be careful when eating these.
5. See your dentist twice a year for checkups and professional cleanings. X-rays and visual inspections can help the dentist prescribe treatments to protect your teeth and enhance oral care, which will hopefully limit the number of fillings you will need, and ultimately, preserve and prolong the life of your teeth.
6. Drink milk. A good source of calcium, milk helps to build strong teeth over the course of a lifetime, though maximum benefits occur during childhood. Ask your dentist if vitamin or mineral supplements during adulthood may be beneficial for you.
Take care of your teeth while you have them. As you get more cavities, teeth can weaken and eventually need to be pulled and replaced with dentures or implants. Good preventive care now can help you enjoy later years with your own teeth, not artificial replacements.
