Remember when you were a kid getting your teeth cleaned and waiting in anticipation for your dentist to say those two little words… “No cavities.”  Even though dentistry has changed since you were small and getting a filling done doesn’t seem so bad, we still want to help you stay cavity free with these tips:

1.  Brushing at least 2-3 times a day, the most important being at night.  Whatever we have consumed during the day will sit on our teeth for  6-8 hours of sleep.  This is a tremendous amount of time for damage to occur.

2.  Flossing daily, flossing allows us to remove the bacteria(plaque) in between the teeth where our toothbrush cannot reach.

3.  Saying “no” to in between meal snacking.  The bacteria in our mouth feeds off the food/sugar that we consume and the byproduct of that bacteria is acid. Acid slowly but surely breaks down the enamel causing the cavities.

4.  Adding a fluoride rinse like “ACT” to your nightly routine.  Fluoride helps strengthen the enamel, thus helping reduce the risk of enamel breakdown (cavity).

5.  All pop, diet included,  has acid that contributes to the breakdown of enamel.  Our suggestion is you limit pop to drink in a short period of time rather than sipping all day.

6.  Chewing a sugarless gum with “xylitol” helps fight off the bacteria that causes cavities.  However, chronic gum chewing can lead to TMJ issues.

7.  Regular visits to the dentist.  Getting your teeth cleaned and removing the buildup that is found on our teeth allows you to brush and floss much more effectively.