Cosmetic Dentists in Colorado Springs Explain 8 Healthy Habits to Protect Your Enamel, PART 4

This four-part article series explains eight changes you can make to your diet and lifestyle to keep your dental enamel healthy, thereby helping to prevent tooth loss in the long run.

Keeping all of your original teeth in beautiful condition is a lifelong commitment. It requires a high standard of oral hygiene, the right eating habits and regular professional attention from your dental healthcare team.

Over the course of this four-part article series, we have presented the advice of a panel of experienced cosmetic dentists in Colorado Springs on the things we can do to help protect our dental enamel against decay and acid erosion. These included:

Tip # 1: Decreasing the amount of sugar in your diet,

Tip # 2: Increasing your intake of calcium-rich foods,

Tip # 3: Not over-brushing your teeth or pressing down too hard when brushing,

Tip # 4: Getting treated for conditions such as acid reflux, heartburn or bulimia,

Tip # 5: Being careful of chlorinated pools,

Tip # 6: Avoiding substances that cause dry mouth, such as smoking and alcohol.

Let’s take a look at the two final fundamental tips for great enamel health…

Healthy Enamel Tip # 7: Don’t Grind Your Teeth!

 

Teeth grinding, also known as “Bruxism” and jaw clenching are two habits we are mostly completely unaware of doing and yet they have the potential to do terrible damage to our teeth. The exact cause of teeth grinding and jaw clenching is unknown, although they are believed to share a connection with stress and anxiety.

According to our panel of cosmetic dentists, most of the Colorado Springs residents who do suffer from Bruxism grind their teeth at night while they are fast asleep, and so they have no idea that they’re doing it. The only way to really tell is from the wear patterns on the biting surfaces of the teeth. Some people can completely grind their teeth down to the underlying dentine at which stage restoration using a crown may become necessary.

Over time and without any preventative measures, teeth grinding and jaw clenching can utterly destroy your teeth. In addition to the erosive action of the grinding, the unnatural force of clenching your jaw can cause the teeth to become fractured and cracked, leaving them far more vulnerable to decay.

What’s the Solution?

“If your dentist diagnoses evidence of this kind of nocturnal activity, it is imperative that you have a custom mouth guard or retainer fitted, which you should wear to bed at night,” say dentists to Colorado Springs residents. “This will prevent your teeth from coming together and will help to preserve the protective enamel covering them.”

Healthy Enamel Tip # 8: See the Dentist Every Year

The preventative dental healthcare provided by your dentist and oral hygienist will ensure that your teeth are kept in the best possible condition and that any problems – such as enamel erosion, cavities, decay and gum disease – are diagnosed well before they have a chance to do permanent damage.

Colorado Springs residents should see the dentist once every six months, unless he or she has been told that they are in peak dental health and can return again for an appointment in one year. Routine fluoride treatments are also essential for good enamel health and should your dentist believe that you could benefit from any additional hygiene measures, he or she will make the necessary recommendations.

Colorado Springs Dental Implant Dentists Explain 8 Healthy Habits to Protect Your Enamel, PART 3

This four-part article series explains eight changes you can make to your diet and lifestyle to keep your dental enamel healthy, thereby helping to prevent tooth loss in the long run.

Welcome to the third installment of this four-part article series on the things we can do to help protect our dental enamel against decay and acid erosion. In Part 1 and 2, our panel of Colorado Springs dental implant surgeons explained the following important tips for keeping our pearly whites in beautiful condition:

Tip # 1: Decrease the amount of sugar in your diet,

Tip # 2: Increase your intake of calcium-rich foods,

Tip # 3: Don’t over-brush your teeth or press down too hard when brushing,

Tip # 4: Get treated for acid reflux, heart-burn and bulimia.

Let’s take a look at the next two important tips for great enamel health…

Healthy Enamel Tip # 5: Be Careful of Chlorinated Pools

You’d never imagine that the cool, delicious embrace of your pool during the hot summer months could damage your teeth or your children’s teeth, but if its chlorine levels aren’t carefully controlled, it very well could!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ran a study that examined the effect of chlorinated pool water on dental health and it found that 15% of those who swam frequently displayed some symptoms of enamel erosion. That’s approximately one in six people. This is compared to the portion of people who don’t swim frequently, of which only 3% displayed signs of erosion.

The message here is crystal clear, say dentists to Colorado Springs residents with pools. Monitor the pH levels of your pool carefully and try to keep your mouth closed when you do go underwater.

Healthy Enamel Tip # 6: Avoid Substances that Cause Dry Mouth

Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, is a condition that impedes the normal production of saliva in the mouth and is caused by all sorts of substances: usually those that are bad for you. These substances include tobacco-use, alcohol and a variety of illegal drugs, which is just one of the many reasons you should avoid them.

According to Colorado Springs dental implants dentists, saliva is fundamental for the preservation of good oral health and hygiene because it washes away the sugary food residues that can encourage oral bacteria to grow. It also helps to neutralize the pH levels in your mouth, thereby remineralizing your dental enamel. As such, it’s quite normal for people with xerostomia to suffer from acid erosion and tooth decay.

Unfortunately, xerostomia isn’t always preventable, as it does come hand-in-hand with certain chronic medications and illnesses. In these cases, you will need to be more conscious about drinking water and chewing sugar-free gum to keep your mouth hydrated as much as possible. There are medications that can be taken to offset dry mouth, but these will need to be recommended and prescribed by a doctor.

Stay Tuned for Part 4

Stay tuned for the final installment of this four-part article series to learn more about the necessary healthy habits for good dental health, courtesy of the advice of our panel of dentists serving Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs Dentists Explain 8 Healthy Habits to Protect Your Dental Enamel, PART 2

This four-part article series explains eight changes you can make to your diet and lifestyle to keep your dental enamel healthy, thereby helping to prevent tooth loss in the long run.

Welcome to the second installment of this four-part article series on the healthy habits we can cultivate in order to help protect our dental enamel against decay and acid erosion. In Part 1, the panel of Colorado Springs dentists we consulted with explained that Step # 1 and # 2 in the right direction were: (1) decrease the amount of sugar in your diet – that means avoiding sodas, fruit juices and sugary snacks, sweeties and candies, and (2) increase your intake of calcium-rich foods, such as low-fat or fat-free yogurts, cheeses and milk.

Let’s take a look at the next two important tips for great enamel health and beautiful teeth…

Healthy Enamel Tip # 3: Don’t Over-brush!

Chances are you’ve heard the saying “too much of a good thing is bad.” Well this stands true for brushing your teeth because brushing too frequently can actually lead to the erosion of your dental enamel. Additionally, brushing too aggressively can achieve similar destructive results.

Orthodontists in Colorado Springs typically recommend that patients opt for a medium to soft-bristled brush and make use of short circular strokes when brushing their teeth. If you notice that the bristles of your toothbrush become frayed soon after coming out of the packaging, then you are probably brushing too hard. This kind of habit can also cause the gums to recede from the crowns of the teeth, which reveals the darker and more sensitive tooth roots. This is frequently the cause of tooth sensitivity in adults.

“It’s important that you brush correctly because the whole point of this exercise is to protect your teeth, not damage them,” say the dentists. “Also, try not to brush immediately after eating because the sugars and acids naturally contained by the foods we eat can soften your dental enamel. Wait 30 minutes and your enamel will remineralize as the pH levels in your mouth neutralize.”

Healthy Enamel Tip # 4: Seek Treatment for Acid Reflux, Heartburn and Bulimia

Stomach acid can cause extensive damage to the protective enamel covering your teeth and conditions such as severe heartburn and acid reflux are known to bring this acid up and into the esophagus, according to orthodontists in Colorado Springs. This can leave your teeth – your molars especially – vulnerable to acid erosion, so speak to your doctor about how you can control chronic acid reflux and heartburn.

Another problem that can, in the long term, do terrible damage to your teeth is an eating disorder known as bulimia. Repeated vomiting exposes the teeth to stomach acid. This, coupled with the binge eating of usually unhealthy, sugar-rich foods can put your teeth on the fast track to decay, so it is crucial that Colorado Springs residents suffering from this condition seek professional treatment for it.

Stay Tuned for Part 3

Stay tuned for the third installment of this four-part article series to learn more about the necessary healthy habits for good dental health, courtesy of the advice of our panel of Colorado Springs dentists.