While the bacteria in your mouth creates acid that leads to tooth decay, your teeth are able to remineralize these decaying areas if you give them the opportunity to. By removing a colony of plaque, the acid will not have a chance to attack the same spot on the tooth for too long. This gives your tooth time to restore the calcium in the area that faced depletion.
How do you give your teeth time to restore themselves? Well, that is where brushing and flossing come into play! When you brush and floss your teeth, you are removing the plaque that may be causing your teeth to decay.
The saliva in your mouth also plays a role. Saliva dilutes the acid, which reduces its ability to dissolve teeth. While we sleep, however, our mouths stop producing saliva, which means that the bacteria and acid can attack your teeth more easily and effectively. This is why it is extremely important to brush and floss before bedtime. Removing those colonies of plaque before going to bed can help protect your teeth.
This is also why regular dental cleanings are important. With a dental cleaning, plaque that may be more difficult to remove can be scraped off of your teeth. While brushing and flossing can remove quite a bit of plaque, you will likely not be able to rid your mouth of all the plaque on your teeth. A dental cleaning can get these areas with more stubborn plaque, protecting your teeth from decay and other diseases. At Aspen Hill Dental, we offer dental cleanings and other dental services to help keep your mouth clean and healthy!
The best way to keep your mouth healthy and avoid cavities is to maintain a healthy routine. Brush twice a day, floss at least once, get regular cleanings, and try to choose healthier foods over processed ones. While cavities are common and can happen to everyone, they can be easy to prevent as long as you take proper care of your teeth and follow these tips!