When foods rich in carbohydrates (sugars and starches) such as bread, cereals, cakes, and candy stick to your teeth, the bacteria in your mouth will digest these foods and turn them into acids. Acid, bacteria, and food debris will form plaque, which sticks to the teeth and causes holes in the tooth enamel known as cavities. Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce cavities and avoid having to go to the scary dentist.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Maintaining Good Oral Health
Step 1. Brush your teeth after eating
Brushing teeth is a minimum requirement of dental health, but it is also important. You should brush your teeth after eating, or at least twice a day. And certainly not in a rush while driving: to remove plaque and harmful bacteria, you need to brush your teeth for two minutes. Use a soft-bristled brush, with a small head, and sing Happy Birthday twice while brushing your teeth.
- While brushing, focus on cleaning the outside of the teeth, the inside of the teeth, and the parts used for chewing. For fresher breath, you can brush your tongue gently to remove bacteria.
- Brush your teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride. Plaque bacteria remove minerals from tooth enamel, but fluoride helps make teeth more resistant to plaque bacteria.
Step 2. Clean with dental floss
To some, this may seem overwhelming, but flossing can reach bacteria in hard-to-reach places such as under the gums and between teeth. Loop most of the floss around your middle finger, leaving a gap of 2.5 cm or 5 cm to clean the teeth, and hold it firmly with your thumb and forefinger while gently moving it up and down between your teeth. While doing it slowly, loop the dental floss to the base of the tooth, which is under the gums.
Need another reason? Using dental floss has been linked to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease. Experts are still looking into the link, but the data is there. If you want to stay healthy, brushing and flossing is a great way to keep your body healthy
Step 3. Also use mouthwash
In addition to brushing and flossing, gargle with a mouthwash containing fluoride for 10-15 seconds in your mouth, around your teeth, tongue and gums. Not only is this very quick and easy, but mouthwash can kill bacteria and leave your mouth feeling fresh and clean.
Some mouthwashes contain alcohol and are not suitable for children. If you intend to keep your child's mouth clean, ask your dentist about which type of mouthwash is good for them
Part 2 of 3: Eat to Protect Teeth
Step 1. Cut down on sugary foods
Avoid carbs like candy, pretzels (European three-knot cookies), sweet breads, pastries, and chips – save them for special occasions. And if you eat them, always brush your teeth after eating them, and this also applies to sticky foods. These types of foods increase bacteria and acids in the mouth, causing tooth decay.
You are also advised to drink water that contains fluoride; (see description of fluoride above), fluoride is usually added to the public water supply, but this varies by region. If you don't have a toothbrush, rinse your mouth with water after eating sugary foods
Step 2. Eat a healthy and balanced diet
A nutritious diet that contains lots of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, and is low in saturated fat, salt, and sugar will promote healthy teeth. As the adage doesn't require but encourages, eating an apple every day will keep us away from the dentist - and cavities.
- Calcium is important for proper dental health. Good sources of calcium include dairy products, fortified soy products, almonds, and dark green leafy vegetables.
- Vitamin D also helps. Sunlight, liquid milk, fortified soy products, and fatty fish such as salmon are good sources.
- You should also get adequate amounts of phosphorus (found in meat, fish, and eggs); magnesium (sources are whole grains, spinach, and bananas); and vitamin A, which is found in orange fruits and vegetables and dark green leafy vegetables.
Step 3. Cut back on snacks
Every time you eat something, especially something sticky or sweet, the acid attacks your teeth, destroying tooth enamel. If you avoid snacking, this will limit the number of attacks the tooth has to suffer and give the tooth a chance to recover.
If you're snacking between large meals, eat a healthy, crunchy snack, such as carrots or broccoli. Crunchy foods can help clean your teeth and don't stick to your teeth
Step 4. Limit your intake of fruit juices and fizzy drinks
It's easy to remember that cakes, pastries and other sugary foods are not good for our health and dental health, but sometimes it's hard to remember that drinking is bad too. Sugary juices and fizzy drinks are just as bad, causing bacteria to infiltrate our teeth with every sip.
What is the best? Of course water. But black or green tea is also good. Unsweetened fruit juices are better (fruits naturally contain sugar), but water and tea are best
Step 5. Use a straw
Do you really like soft drinks? Minimize damage to your teeth by drinking through a straw. The sweet taste of the drink will elude most teeth, especially if the straw doesn't touch the tooth in the first place. Damage can still occur, but a straw can slow the damage.
Step 6. Try to eat foods that "fighting cavities"
In addition to crunchy foods that are less likely to cause cavities, below are some foods that can help keep your teeth and smile white and shiny:
- Cheese. Casein, a protein found in cheese, is believed to help maintain teeth by increasing the calcium content in saliva.
- Wine. For the record, red wine can leave marks on the teeth. But recent research has found that both red and white wine contain several chemical components that help fight cavities. So, all the more reason to drink a glass of wine at dinner.
- Raisins. Chemicals present in raisins, such as polyphenols and flavonoids, can actively fight oral bacteria, but there is no consensus among experts on this. However, recent research suggests there is a chance that raisins are another food that can treat cavities.
Part 3 of 3: Trying to be Better
Step 1. Find the right toothbrush
Brushing your teeth is important, but using the right toothbrush is even better. According to one study, a battery-powered toothbrush that moves up and down and rotates is the most effective. However, it also depends on your choice. For more sensitive teeth, choose softer bristles. As for size, a toothbrush head with a width of approximately 1.25 cm and a height of 2.5 cm is sufficient.
Carry a toothbrush everywhere. Have an extra toothbrush at work or a locker at school. By bringing a small pack of toothpaste with you, you can fulfill your goal of brushing your teeth three times a day
Step 2. Chew xylitol gum
Xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol that can actually stop the growth of bacteria that cause cavities. Xylitol can get rid of sugar in the mouth, thereby preventing tooth decay. Xylitol is the basic ingredient in most chewing gums.
If you don't have a toothbrush and have just eaten a meal or snack, chewing a piece of xylitol-containing gum is a good alternative. But before chewing xylitol gum for its benefits, read the ingredients: xylitol should be at the top of the list as a differentiator
Step 3. Try doing oil pulling
A new trend that is sweeping the world is oil pulling – basically gargling with oil for 15-20 minutes a day. Some use coconut oil, some use sunflower oil, but some use sesame oil. Gargle with oil and when the time is up, throw it away. Very simple.
Many celebrities who follow this trend, they believe that this can also make teeth whiter and shine
Step 4. Consult your dentist
No one knows better how to treat your teeth than your dentist. For starters, your doctor may prescribe fluoride supplements, which, as described above, can strengthen teeth. If necessary, a dental sealant - a plastic protective coating - can be applied to the surface of the chewing molars to protect against damage.
It is also necessary to go to the dentist regularly for professional dental check-ups and cleanings. Plan to visit the doctor at least twice a year to check for cavities. You will also feel more comfortable after a thorough dental cleaning
Tips
- Frequently brushing and flossing your teeth to keep bacteria away from your teeth.
- Visit your local drugstore for fluoride-based toothpaste.
- Find out if the water in your area contains fluoride or not.
