Peoria IL Dentist with Simple Ways to Prevent Cavities

Many of our patients are looking for simple ways to prevent cavities. Peoria IL dentist Dr. Whitson has found a few unique ways to prevent cavities that you may not have considered.

Tooth decay leads to cavities, so the key to cavity prevention is decay prevention!

1.Rinse your mouth with water after every meal or snack.

We all know that we should rinse or brush after coming into contact with sugar, but what many patients don’t consider is the fact that carbohydrates are technically simple sugars. Rice, bread, and other carbohydrates are often eaten without any concern for their sugar content, and will stay on your teeth and begin to erode the enamel. If you swish with water after each meal, you are minimizing the amount of time the carbs, or sugars, spend on your teeth; which is the true cause of cavities.

After eating a meal or drinking a sugary drink, you should swish water in your mouth for at least 5 seconds. After you rinse, your saliva production will be kicked back on, which will also aid in clearing foods and acids from your enamel.

2. Chew sugar-free gum.

Sugar-free gum also helps promote saliva production, which will help clear the food and acids from your enamel. Simply eating sugar and carbs does not cause cavities – letting the sugar and carbs sit on your teeth for prolonged periods does!

3. Curb your snacking!

When you snack in between meals, you are exposing your teeth’s enamel to food for a longer period of time. Also, most patients we see do not rinse or brush between snacking the way they would after dinner, which leads to the food sitting on your enamel for an extended period of time.

While these tips won’t prevent every cavity, they can absolutely help to curb the number of cavities you see and prevent further tooth decay. For additional tips and tricks from your Peoria IL dentist, call our office to schedule an appointment today at (309) 688-7321 or click here to review more of our dental health blog.