Top Ten Tips for Teeth!

Dr. Sam Schmitz shared his top ten tips concerning your diet and your teeth.

1. Everytime you eat, your mouth becomes an acidic environment, making the enamel on your teeth softer, and making it easier for bacteria that cause decay to attach.  The bacteria then consume fermentable carbohydrates (sugars) and produce acid as a by-product, thus starting the decay process.
2. As we remember the saying  “We are what we eat”, we should also remember “Our teeth are affected by what we eat and drink.”
3. You should limit the number of times anything other than water enters your mouth.
4. Snacking on food all day or sipping on a soft drink for an extended period of time is detrimental to the teeth.  Check out this article on how drinks can destroy teeth.
5. If you eat candy or have a soft drink, try to consume it around a meal time.
6. If you have a soft drink not during a meal, try to drink it fairly quickly, limiting the amount of time your mouth is at a low pH which is acidic.
7. Drinking water is always encouraged because it neutralizes your mouth cancelling out the acidic enviroment in the mouth.
8. Diet soft drinks are better because of the absence of sugar however they are still acidic which can increase the chance of decay on the teeth.
9. Always practice excellent oral hygiene which includes regular brushing and flossing.
10. Remember to visit Family Dentistry with Drs. Ogle, Schmitz, and Hart every 6 months because smaller problems can be taken care of easily and less expensive than waiting for the teeth to have more extensive decay.