Having a tooth extraction isn't a pleasant experience. Most times the thought that you do not have a tooth somewhere in your mouth, gets you worried (especially when you don't
have money for an artificial tooth, that is not as good as your original tooth anyway). I think I have to ask this question at this point,
Why should organisms that are there to protect me turn against me? I think it is simple; these organisms are probably like some people (Simple sugars in food are these bacteria's primary energy source).
These guys feed on the fermentable carbohydrates and produce organic acids as by-products. When enough acid is produced so that the pH goes below 5.5, the acid dissolves carbonated hydroxyapatite, the main component of the covering of the tooth known as tooth enamel (the hardest substance in the human body), in a process known as demineralisation. Cavities typically require many months or years to occur.
There are four things required for caries formation: a tooth surface (enamel or dentin), caries-causing bacteria, fermentable carbohydrates (such as sucrose), and time.
Different individuals will be susceptible to different degrees depending on the
shape of their teeth, oral hygiene habits, and the buffering capacity of their saliva.
The question now remains, how will I protect my poor tooth from the bad guys? Let us take a trip down prevention lane.
Prevention includes: regular cleaning of the teeth, a diet low in sugar, small amounts of fluoride, brushing the teeth two times per day and flossing between the teeth using dental floss once a day is recommended by many. Brushing twice a day a simple as it sounds, is not a common practice. I wanted to find out how often people in my neighbourhood brush their teeth, so I got of one morning and just started asking people casually, how many times they brush their teeth in a day. The replies I got will amaze you. Conclusion, brushing twice a day is a habit that should be encouraged. The tongue and roof of the mouth should be thoroughly brushed as these areas if not properly brushed, lead to mouth odour even after brushing.
All carbohydrate foods eventually break down into simple sugars: glucose, fructose, maltose and lactose. Fermentable carbohydrates break down in the mouth. This is because the processes for digestion of carbohydrate foods start in the mouth. Other foods don't break down until they move further down the digestive tract.
The carbohydrate foods include the obvious sugary foods, such as cookies, cakes, soft drinks and candy, and also the less obvious foods, such as bread, crackers, bananas and breakfast cereals.
To make matters worse, many of the foods that are unhealthy for teeth don't just create acids while they are being eaten. The acids remain in the mouth for some time..
Depending on your eating and drinking patterns, it's possible for the bacteria to produce acid almost constantly. This can happen if you sip soft drinks or sweetened coffee throughout the day. Eating many small sweet or starchy snacks can produce the same effect. Studies have shown that people who eat sweets as snacks between meals have higher rates of decay than people who eat the same amount of sweets with their meals.
Some foods actually help to prevent tooth decay due to the increase in saliva flow stimulated by them. The saliva neutralizes the acids produced by bacteria. This makes it less likely that the enamel will lose minerals. An example is aged cheese eaten immediately after other food.
Chewing sugarless gums also can help protect your teeth against cavities. Xylitol is an ingredient in some sugarless gums. This sweetener has been shown to reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth. It also helps to buffer the teeth against the effect of acid. Most sugarless gums and sugarless candies increase the flow of saliva, which helps to protect your teeth against bacteria. Be careful about consuming large amounts of xylitol. This can have a laxative effect
Fluoride may be from water, salt or toothpaste among other sources.
Finally you’ve got to hustle to be rich because caries occur more often in people from the lower end of the socioeconomic scale than people from the upper end of the socioeconomic scale.
No Responses to "HOW TO PREVENT TOOTH DECAY"
Post a Comment