How to prevent tooth decay and erosion
According to a Center for Disease Control (CDC) report, more than half of teenagers have had cavities in their adult teeth. Cavities are completely preventable and parents can do a lot to ensure that their children grow up to have healthy, strong teeth. One of the biggest culprits is sugary drinks (including fruit juices!). Here are a few tips every parent should know to help protect their children from developing cavities:
1. Avoid sugary drinks!
2. If you can’t avoid sugary drinks completely, use a straw so your teeth are less exposed to the sugar and acid in the drink.
3. Take a drink of water, after a sugary or acidic drink to help rinse acids out your mouth and dilute the sugars (which are a breeding ground for the bacteria that eats into tooth enamel).
4. After drinking sugary or acidic beverages, don’t brush your teeth right away. Wait at least one hour so your teeth can recover and your enamel can reharden before you take the brush to them.
5. Do not sip a sugary or acidic drink slowly or over a long duration. Doing so exposes your teeth to sugar and acid attacks for much longer.
6. Never drink sugary or acidic drinks before you go to bed – if you do, the residue in your mouth will leave your teeth and gums coated with sugar and acid which feeds the harmful bacteria.
7. Drink water rather than sugary drinks! It has no acid, no sugar – and no calories!
8. Protect your teeth by using fluoride toothpaste.