Nobody wants to go to the dentist with a mouth full of tooth decay and cavities. You know why? This means more chair time, more drilling, and way less fun.
When you hear “cavity” at the dentist’s office, that means you need a dental restoration (filling, crown, etc.). This is never good news for you… Restorations mean a lot more time spent with a drill in your mouth to fix the problem. No one likes to have a drill in their mouth. Even worse than receiving a filling or crown, is letting the tooth decay develop further. If you do this, you will lose the tooth, damage your gums and jaw bone, and require even more invasive procedures like implants.
Many of our patients ask us the best way to prevent cavities from ever developing so they can avoid restorations, drills, and spending time in the dental chair. For starters, it is critical to brush and floss as recommended by your dentist. If you are not doing these two things, you can almost be guaranteed that cavities are in your very near future. If you are doing these things, but have still developed cavities, there are a few more things you can try to avoid cavities.
First, use dental products that contain fluoride. In addition, drink tap water on a regular basis. Why tap water? Water fluoridation. Fluoride works to remineralize your teeth throughout the day.
Another option to protect your teeth are dental sealants. Sealants should not replace a fluoride treatment, brushing, or flossing. However, sealants can offer an additional layer of protection for your teeth and tooth enamel. This can keep acids and sugars off of your teeth.
Next, you should chew gum. Yes, that’s right chew gum…as long as it contains xylitol. Xylitol is a sugar substitute that actually works as an anti-sugar. Xylitol can help to keep your pearly whites in pristine condition. Additionally, gum increases salivary flow which will naturally decrease tooth decay.
Lastly, eat and drink more products that contain casein and calcium. These things are mainly found in dairy products. Casein and calcium, like fluoride, will help to remineralize your teeth and keep them strong.
Are you looking for a good dentist in the Sidney, OH area?
Feel free to schedule an appointment today at our office in Sidney. Dr. Van Treese always welcomes patients with smiling faces to his office.