Follow These 10 Common Dental Habits To Prevent Cavities & Get Healthy Teeth

Teeth are perhaps the most underrated parts of our body. Most of us do not have the habit of going for a dental check-up, until we suffer from pain caused by some unavoidable teeth ailment. By following certain healthy habits to prevent dental cavities, you could have healthy, sparkly pearly whites.

But if we just reverse the habit and ensure that our dental health is as fine as the rest of our body, then a lot of teeth problems can occur.

Oral health is particularly important when it comes to children, as they are more susceptible to harmful lasting effects of tooth decay.

Also Read: Maintain Dental Health With These Tips

Tooth decay is a damage caused by acid-forming bacteria in our mouth that eat into a tooth and create holes called cavities. If cavities are not treated on time, tooth decay can cause infection, pain and even tooth loss.

For kids, such damage can hamper the growth of their permanent teeth.

But the bacterial infection which causes cavities can be prevented by following these 10 dental habits, check them out.

1. Brushing Teeth Twice A Day:

Brushing twice a day takes care of the bacteria build-up in our mouth that otherwise causes a number of problems. It also helps in having a disease-free gum and, of course, removes teeth stain. Brushing is extremely essential before going to bed in the night, as if you don't, you allow the evil bacteria to feast on the particles of the meal you had last, for the entire night.

2. Rinsing Mouth With Water After Every Meal:

It is always advised to clean your mouth with water after eating food of any type. Special oral care is required after having snacks, sugary drinks, candy and mints.

3. Don’t Call It A Day After Having A Bottle Of Drink:

We should always avoid having any other drink apart from water before retiring to bed. Having any other drink which has sugar and other artificial content and going to sleep will only make your teeth more vulnerable to bacterial infection. It is always a healthy habit to take beverages during mealtime only.

4. Go For Regular Dental Check-ups:

Consult a dentist every six months for a professional cleaning of your teeth, besides flossing daily, so that the hidden food particles between the teeth can be removed. Children should be taken to the dentist once their first tooth comes out.

5. Using Fluoride Toothpaste & Having Fluoridated Water & Supplement:

Fluoride is a mineral which prevents tooth decay and can be used externally as well as internally to protect our teeth. Externally, use of fluoride toothpaste prevents decay by reducing loss of minerals. Adding fluoride to the water that you drink is also a helpful and cheap method to prevent cavities in both children and adults. Fluoride-rich foods like seafoods also help prevent tooth decay and consequent formation of cavities.

6. Taking Nutritious Diet:

A healthy diet helps us in having a perfect dental health. Add crunchy vegetables and fruits like carrots and apples that are rich in fibre content to your diet. Besides, dairy products like cheese and milk that are rich in calcium and protein, seafoods, chicken, eggs, nuts, etc., also help in strengthening the teeth enamel.

7. Take Special Care After Having Carbohydrates:

Foods having carbohydrates like bread, milk, soda, fruits, cakes, chips, candy, etc., can cause great damage if a proper oral care is not taken after eating them. So, either say no to them or be extra careful after you have them.

8. Brush Your Kid’s Teeth After Giving Him/Her A Liquid medicine:

This is an important step to keep your child's teeth healthy. Liquid medicine often has a high sugar content. Also, children who are given inhalers or nebulizers to treat asthma should rinse their mouth with water, following the treatment.

9. Use Dental Sealants:

Use of dental sealants is another good way of preventing dental cavity. You can consult your dentist and ask him/her to seal areas of your teeth where he/she feels food particles can get trapped. This will reduce the possibility of dental problems to an extent.

10. Drinking Wine & Using Straw While Drinking Cold Drinks:

Yes, these may sound unconventional but they are also ways to prevent dental cavities. Red or white wine is considered to be effective in fighting the bacteria in the mouth, while using a straw to drink cold drinks will help in reducing the direct contact between your teeth and the drinks.