Everyone knows that proper oral health is vital to living a healthy life, but you could be destroying the enamel on your teeth without even knowing it. Once tooth enamel starts to erode, it can be almost impossible to return your teeth back to normal. The lack of tooth enamel will turn your teeth yellow, make your teeth rough and you will have pain when eating hot or cold food items. Nobody wants to go through life with the painful and unsightly side effects of no enamel on your teeth, so it is time to start taking these five steps to start preserving your enamel.
Only Brush Twice a Day
You may think it is a good idea to brush your teeth after every time you eat or drink something, but this can actually do more harm than good. Every dentist will tell you that there is no medical relevant reason to brush your teeth more than twice a day. Brushing more often has the same effects of brushing your teeth too hard. You will quickly start to erode the enamel on your teeth, and your gums will probably start to recede too.
Cut Out Acidic Foods and Drinks
Nothing harms the enamel on your teeth more than eating and drink extremely acidic foods. Some of the worst food items for your enamel are soda, juice, citrus fruit, nuts and seeds. It can be very hard to completely avoid these items, so it is better to only enjoy them with a meal. Since you will be eating a drinking a wide variety of items during a meal, the acidic foods will do less harm to the enamel on your teeth.
Drink With a Straw
If you absolutely need to enjoy a soda, a glass of orange juice or another acidic beverage, then it is ideal to drink them using a straw. This ensures that the drink does not have much contact with your teeth while you are drinking. Since the goal is to reduce the contact between the drink and the teeth, you can’t swish the beverage in your mouth before swallowing.
Wait an Hour to Brush Teeth After Eating
Brushing immediately after eating may seem like a smart idea since acidic foods can hurt your teeth, but this does not actually work. In order to properly preserve your enamel, it is best to wait at least an hour after eating before brushing your teeth. The enamel on your teeth gets softer after eating, and it takes about an hour the enamel to return to normal. Brushing while the enamel is soften will only brush away and damage the enamel even more.
Use the Right Oral Hygiene Products
All of your great steps to preserve the enamel on your teeth can be eliminated if you are not using the right oral hygiene products. Since rough brushing can destroy enamel, you need to use an extremely soft manual toothbrush or an electric toothbrush. It is also a good idea to use toothpaste and mouthwash that contains fluoride. While you will not harm your teeth by using a different type of toothpaste or mouthwash, the ones containing fluoride can actually help repair any damaged enamel on your teeth.
Valley Dental Care, a full-service dental clinic, offers general and specialized services designed to fit the needs of patients of all ages. We have made a commitment to excellence, and we strive to provide the best dental services in a comfortable environment.