Every practice that is healthy for your teeth and gums does not have to be distasteful. In fact, there are many enjoyable habits, in addition to brushing and flossing, that can promote good oral health. Here are a few of them:
Chewing Sugarless Gum
Sugarless gum offers a tasty treat that does not promote tooth decay. In fact, many people would probably chew gum just because of its delicious flavoring. Nevertheless, sugarless gum offers multiple oral health benefits.
Each time you chew a stick of sugar-free gum, you are pulling debris from your teeth and inciting the production of saliva to rinse away leftover food and plaque from your mouth. Additionally, saliva helps dilute bacterial acids in your mouth.
Bacterial acids are responsible for most tooth decay. The corrosive substances are released by bacteria as they feed on leftover food in your oral cavity. The acid dissolves your tooth enamel to cause dental decay.
Some sugarless gum offers additional benefits due to certain ingredients. For instance, sugarless gum that is sweetened with xylitol or flavored with cinnamon helps control oral bacteria populations. In addition, sugarless gum that includes ingredients such as titanium dioxide or malic acid can help prevent and remove dental stains.
Sipping a Glass of Tea
Tea is often selected as a beverage to accompany a meal or snack. However, many people do not realize that drinking tea can be good for your teeth.
Tea includes polyphenols which can help eliminate oral bacteria in your mouth. Research indicates that the anti-bacterial properties are present in both green and black tea varieties. Thus, you can enjoy either type of tea to help kill damaging bacteria, such as streptococcus mutans.
For the full dental health benefits of the tea, consume three or four cups per day. The use of tea can be especially beneficial if the beverage replaces more damaging liquids, such as soda or fruit juices. Sodas are highly acidic, even when they do not include sugar, and fruit juice contains high levels of natural sugar.
Sucking on a Sugarless Mint
If you readily pop a sugared mint into your mouth to freshen your breath, choose a sugarless mint instead. Sugarless mints do not promote tooth decay. Additionally, the sucking action used as you enjoy the sugar-free mint encourages the production of saliva to prevent dry mouth.
To learn more enjoyable ways to promote your dental health, schedule an appointment with a family or cosmetic dentist in you area.
Share15 September 2016
Do you have "bad teeth"? I do. Ever since I was a kid, every checkup turns up a number of issues ranging from cavities to dental fractures. It has always been frustrating to keep my smile in decent shape, which is one of the reasons I started focusing on understanding different dental problems. I wanted to know what I was getting into when I visited the doctor, so I began focusing on learning as much as I could. I wanted to create this blog all about dentistry so that other people could find out what to expect when they head to the dentist. Check it out!
