Removing plaque daily is an essential part of taking care of your oral health. Without the
removal of plaque, it begins to harden in a matter of hours. What foods and habits increase
plaque buildup in your mouth? You’ll want to avoid the following habits for a healthy smile!

Not Flossing

Brushing is an excellent way to remove plaque, but unfortunately, it can only reach so many
places in our mouths. The spaces between our teeth are often the most neglected—plaque
forms here just as it does on the rest of the surfaces of your teeth.

When you neglect to floss, plaque quickly builds up and can cause enamel erosion, bad breath,
and even tooth decay. You only need to floss once a day to experience the benefits, so get out
the floss and get rid of the plaque!

Eating Sugar Frequently

The bacteria in our mouths thrive on simple sugars, which results in more plaque than other
foods such as vegetables or proteins. If you frequently eat sugar throughout the day, you’re
increasing your risk of plaque buildup.

Eating simple sugars such as white bread, cakes, and candies in moderation is fine, as long as
consume them with water and wait 30 minutes to brush afterwards. Just remember—the more
sugar you eat, the more plaque you’ll need to remove later!

Not Drinking Water

Water is not only essential to our bodily health, it’s just as important for our smiles. Water acts
as a buffer between the harsh acids of foods such as sugars and our tooth enamel. When you
drink water, you help balance your oral bacteria, replenish your saliva, and boost hydration
throughout the body.

When you neglect to drink enough water—or skip water in favor of soda or juice—your oral
health suffers. Sipping on water throughout the day is an ideal way to stay hydrated and
protect your teeth and gums!

Forgetting to Brush Before Bed

Brushing your teeth twice a day doesn’t give plaque much of a chance to build up, provided
you’re doing a quality brushing job! However, skipping brushing leaves a solid window for
plaque to form, and if you’re missing that crucial brushing session before bed, plaque that’s
built up all day now has a chance to wreak havoc on your mouth.

Forgetting to brush before bed is a bad habit that should be avoided. If you have trouble
remembering to brush or are exhausted before bed, try brushing earlier in the evening before
you forget or become so tired you want to skip this important task!

Skipping Regular Checkups

Despite our best intentions when brushing and flossing, plaque is sneaky and can build up in
places we miss when brushing or aren’t able to reach. Visiting your dentist for regular cleanings
at least once a year can help you avoid the consequences of plaque buildup and experience a
healthier smile!

Have you been guilty of any of the above habits? It’s never too late to begin taking care of your
smile. When it comes to something as harmful as plaque, it’s important to remember that you
can help prevent plaque buildup and create a smile you can be proud of for life!

The post Which Foods and Habits Increase Plaque Buildup? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Dental sealants are applied over your teeth to effectively “seal” out food and bacteria. Particularly on the back molars, food and bacteria get trapped within the grooves of our teeth. Some of these grooves are deep and can’t be properly cleaned with just brushing and flossing. When you have dental sealants, your tooth is essentially protected with the clear and invisible sealant barrier from food and bacteria that could lead to tooth decay such as cavities!

Prevent Cavities

The best time to apply dental sealants is when your molars are relatively new in your mouth and haven’t yet had the chance to be affected by tooth decay—this would be between the ages of 6 and 12 when the first and second molars come in. Even if you haven’t had dental sealants as a child, you can still get them as an adult! If your mouth is healthy, you likely qualify for dental sealants. The procedure is simple and your teeth can benefit from dental sealants for years to come!

Protect Existing Teeth

You’re still a candidate for dental sealants even if some of your molars already have cavities. This is because the sealants can prevent any more damage from happening to your teeth. If you have a small cavity or existing decay, your dentist will fix the problem before sealing your tooth with the dental sealant material. Dental sealants can help protect your teeth for up to 10 years! They’re great for people who experience frequent cavities and have a higher risk for tooth decay than most people.

Best Practices with Dental Sealants

Dental sealants are pretty sturdy, but there are a few things you can do to protect your teeth and extend the life of your dental sealants. These healthy habits include:

 Regular brushing and flossing. That’s right, sealants don’t mean you can just stop taking care of your teeth! Dental sealants are meant to be supplemental protection rather than a replacement for regular care.

 Use your teeth properly. Avoid chewing on things like ice or trying to open packaging with your teeth. This can not only damage your teeth, but your dental sealants as well!

 Get regular checkups. Your dentist can assess your dental sealants at each checkup to see how they’re holding up and whether or not you need more sealant material to help protect your teeth.

Dental sealants can be a great choice for kids as well as adults who are more prone to cavities and have trouble keeping tooth decay away. You can help supplement brushing and flossing and protect your teeth by asking your dentist about dental sealants!

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The goal of routine dental checkups is to discover any problems before they become serious so that treatment is easier, and your teeth and gums can remain healthy. If you practice good oral hygiene at home, you are less likely to develop gum disease or tooth decay, but you are not completely immune to oral health problems. Gum disease can be caused by illness, certain types of medications and heredity, so even if you take good care of your teeth and gums, you should still have routine dental exams at least once a year.

People who are at higher risk for oral health issues should see the dentist twice a year for checkups, or possibly even more often. This includes smokers, people with diabetes and people with weakened immune systems. If you feel that you do not practice good oral hygiene, for example, if you don’t floss or don’t brush your teeth at least twice a day, you should probably have dental checkups at least twice a year.

You should always make a dental appointment any time you experience any of the following: toothache, bleeding gums, swollen gums, sudden sensitivity to hot or cold foods or beverages, bad breath that gets worse or seems unrelated to foods that you eat, popping sounds in your jaw or painful jaws, a crack in a tooth, a loose tooth or a sore or spot in your mouth. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes or another medical condition or if you are you pregnant, you should see the dentist to discuss how your condition may affect your oral health.

If you have a dental problem, frequent appointments may be necessary during treatment. Remember that early detection makes treatment for most problems easier, and routine exams are usually quicker and more comfortable than some treatments may be.

The post How Often Should You Be Visiting the Dentist? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.