Your teeth are impressively durable, but they have their limits—limits they meet all too easily under modern dieting and bad dental habits. To make sure you keep your mouth healthy, we’ve put together a list of the five factors most likely to send you rushing to your local Albuquerque dentist in pain.
1) Sugary and starchy snacking. Sugary foods and starches provide excellent fuel for the bacteria that live in your mouth—the same ones that eat away at your enamel, give you bad breath, cause gum disease, and maybe even impair other parts of your body. If you’re going to eat sugars and starches, eat them with a meal and brush soon after.
2) Acidic foods and drinks. Whether it’s obvious culprits like soda, coffee, and energy drinks or healthier foods like tea, fruit juices, and citrus fruits, all of them contain acids which, when left to their own devices, will eat away at your enamel, shrinking your tooth and inviting cavities. Wine counts as a problem food here, too. Note that many of these also contain high amounts of sugar, delivering a one-two punch to your teeth.
3) Dry mouth. Whether it’s a natural condition or the result of various medications, be wary of dry mouth. Your saliva exists in part to deal with acids and preserve the health of your enamel, so in its absence, little problems will add up quickly.
4) Digestive problems. If you’re prone to acid reflux, vomiting, or anything else that causes stomach acid to enter your mouth regularly, make sure you’re taking every possible precaution to avoid the issue and rinse/brush afterwards. The acid in your stomach is extremely potent and will eat away at your teeth at a distressing rate.
5) Abuse. Whether it’s cracking open bottles or gnawing on ice, you’re not doing your teeth any favors putting them through extreme physical stress. Not only do you risk a extreme damage, i.e. a tooth breaking outright, over time you’ll wear away at the protective enamel and encourage the development of cavities. Think carefully about how you use your teeth—they aren’t impervious, after all.
Ultimately, any or all of these can become the culprit or combination of culprits behind damaged teeth, gum disease, discoloration, and other issues. To preserve the health of your teeth, stay alert to these issues and work to counter them as they arise. Make sure to ask your dentist if you’re experiencing trouble with any of these—we offer an affordable family dental care in Albuquerque, so don’t hesitate to contact us today!