You Can Prevent and Reduce Plaque: 4 Ideas to Help Improve Your Oral Health
Everyone can get plaque on their teeth but kids are especially susceptible to it. This is partially due to the fact that kids love candy and snacks, and partially due to the fact that bacteria can build up and harden more easily on their teeth. When plaque is present, it ruins the enamel of the tooth. Remember that the enamel is the protective outer layer of the tooth. If there isn’t enough enamel, then tooth decay is more likely and the bones in the jaw can even break down. Here are four steps to help prevent and reduce plaque.
- Skip the sugar and the starch
- Brush and floss every day
- Improve your nutrition
- Visit the dentist regularly
Any food or drink that’s sugary and / or starchy can stick to your teeth and create plaque. For example, soda, cake, bread, and candy. Of course, we are not saying that you can never have these things. We are saying that you should keep these foods to a minimum and when you do eat them, make sure you brush afterwards. This will go a long way toward reducing and preventing plaque buildup.
If you are only going to follow one tip to reduce or prevent plaque then we recommend you follow this one: Brush at least twice a day and floss once a day. Make sure when you are brushing that you are following proper tooth brushing procedure by brushing in a circular way that massages the gums. You also want to get into the small areas between your gums and teeth.
What you eat can have a huge impact on the health of your teeth and the amount of plaque you have. Some foods can help improve the health of your teeth, such as celery, which scrubs food away from the surface of teeth while also generating saliva. Foods that have calcium can help protect against gum disease and ensure that your bones and jaw stay strong and healthy.
Though the steps above can help you reduce plaque, you cannot prevent it entirely. Even if you follow all of this advice to the letter, you are likely to end up with some amount of plaque. This is why you must visit a dentist every six months. We use our professional tools to get rid of any plaque that you cannot reach. Once plaque has hardened, it can only be removed with these professional tools.
If you are due for your visit with a dentist then we urge you to contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161. We can schedule an appointment for you to have an exam and cleaning. If there are other dental issues then we can address them and find solutions for you at that time. The key is to make that first call so that we can start moving on helping you stay healthy.
