You can prevent tooth decay by following a healthy diet, drinking plenty of tap water instead of sugary drinks, brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, and flossing once a day. Tooth decay must be treated by a dentist to prevent it from getting worse. Tooth decay can be stopped or reversed at this point.
enamel
can repair itself using minerals from saliva and fluoride from toothpaste or other sources.During preventive visits, we'll suggest fluoride treatments and sealants to reverse any signs of tooth decay and prevent cavities from forming on your child's back molars. By taking a proactive approach to dental care and protecting teeth that are prone to decay from direct contact with acidic and sugary foods, your child is much less likely to experience tooth decay. Eat sugary foods and drinks less often. Avoid taking unhealthy snacks between meals to limit the number of times your teeth are being attacked by plaque.
This is because your dental team can detect tooth decay in the early stages and treat the condition before it has a chance of getting worse. We know it seems obvious, but proper brushing and flossing is your child's first line of defense when it comes to preventing tooth decay. When a tooth is frequently exposed to acids (for example, if you eat or drink frequently, especially foods or beverages that contain sugar and starches), repeated cycles of acid attacks cause the enamel to continue to lose minerals. When tooth decay isn't treated for too long, you can lose a large part of your tooth and need an extraction.
A study found that chewing gum containing the sweetener xylitol temporarily slows the growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay. This website explains how the tooth decay process begins and how it can be stopped or even reversed to prevent your child from having cavities. Visiting your dental team regularly, as often as recommended, can help you manage your oral health, including preventing tooth decay. Advanced tooth decay can cause a serious infection inside the tooth and under the gums (tooth abscess).
Sometimes, after a dental checkup, you may need more fluoride to prevent cavities; this is where prescription high-fluoride toothpastes come into play. Tooth decay occurs when foods containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches) remain in your teeth, such as breads, cereals, milk, soft drinks, fruits, pastries, or candy. The recession of the gums away from the teeth, combined with an increase in the incidence of gum disease, can expose tooth roots to plaque. But if we eat frequently throughout the day, especially foods and beverages that contain sugar and starches, repeated acid attacks will gain the tug of war, causing the tooth to lose minerals and eventually develop tooth decay.
