How to keep your teeth healthy
How to keep your teeth healthy with the increase in sweets and treats during festive seasons? Many people ask us, when is the best time to eat sweets? During meals or after meals? If you are going to eat sweets, the best time is after meals, followed by flossing and brushing your teeth to neutralize the impact.
During festive seasons, we tend to indulge in sweets, so it’s important to discuss how sugar affects our teeth and how to prevent cavities.
Depending on a person’s susceptibility, the types of bacteria in their mouth, and their saliva composition, sugar can lead not only to cavities but also to gum inflammation (bleeding gums).
Here are some tips to protect your teeth:
Tips to Protect Your Teeth
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Moderate your intake of wine and sodas: These can damage tooth enamel and cause stains.
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Avoid candies, hard, and sticky foods like caramel: They can cause damage and are hard to clean from teeth.
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After meals, remember to brush your teeth and tongue: This helps prevent the buildup of residues.
During festive seasons, we often overindulge in sweets. Let’s discuss how sugar affects teeth and how to prevent cavities.
When sugar is consumed, it interacts with bacteria in our mouths. These bacteria then use sugar as an energy source, releasing acids that corrode and damage our teeth, leading to cavities.
Depending on a person’s susceptibility and the types of bacteria in their mouth, along with saliva composition, this can also lead to gum inflammation (bleeding gums).
Care to Maintain Oral Hygiene
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Brush your teeth at least three times a day and floss at least once a day.
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Use fluoride toothpaste.
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Reduce sugar intake.
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Ideally, brush your teeth within 15 minutes after consuming sweets.
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Avoid eating sweets between meals.
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Avoid eating sweets before bedtime. If you do, brush your teeth thoroughly before sleeping, as saliva’s protective action is reduced during sleep.
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Regularly visit your dentist.
