Have you been diagnosed with several cavities in the past? If so, you might be more concerned than ever before about properly protecting your oral health, all in an effort to enjoy a healthy, beautiful and cavity-free smile. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take at-home, and during your next dental visit, to help keep your teeth strong, healthy and cavity-free. You just need to be careful to follow through with key preventive care, in order to best protect against pesky cavities.
What Does Your Hygiene Routine Entail?
A proper hygiene routine should include twice daily brushing, at least. Most people would actually benefit from brushing their teeth for a third time each day, such as after lunch, if possible. Flossing is just as important, though, yet it is a step that many people overlook.
To remove more of the bacteria and food particles that can lead to cavity development (and eventually require a dental filling), be sure to floss after you brush, at least once a day.
Your Diet Can Impact Your Oral Health, Too
Eating a healthy diet can help protect your oral health as well. A diet high in nutrient-rich foods like vegetables and fruits, provides your smile with minerals and vitamins needed for good health. On the flip side, if you are consuming large amounts of sugar, and simple starches that convert easily into sugar, you are giving the bacteria in your mouth a chance to feed and create tartar buildup, which is responsible for cavity development. Avoid this by limiting the sugar you consume, both in foods and drinks (which are often shockingly high in added sugar content).
Preventive Care Is Crucial to Healthy Smiles
Regular dental checkups and cleanings should not be overlooked or skipped, either, as they provide a dentist with the chance to check for burgeoning issues like cavities. They also allow a chance for tartar buildup to be removed promptly, before it can greatly threaten one’s oral health.
ABOUT YOUR WACO, TX, DENTIST:
We look forward to providing families with exceptional care and advanced treatment options. To schedule an appointment with Corbet Locke, DDS, contact our Waco, TX, dental office today by calling 254-776-4888. Our office welcomes patients in and around Waco, TX, including Hewitt, McGregor, Woodway, and the surrounding Central Texas communities.