Poor oral hygiene, not only causes gum diseases but also causes other body disorders. To protect your teeth, you need to protect your enamel. Brushing your teeth is not enough for that, you need to take other effective measures. In reality, there are many things you can do to make your teeth stronger. We shall discuss them here.
What is enamel and why is it important?
Enamel is the sturdiest tissue in your body that covers the outermost surface of your teeth. It is a hard substance that protects your teeth from everyday chewing and grinding. It also acts as a thermal insulator by protecting your teeth against temperature sensitivity. Healthy enamel means healthy teeth because, when it erodes, teeth become more sensitive to cavities. Thus, to have good oral hygiene, you need to take care of your tooth enamel.
Common causes of tooth decay
A lot of factors contribute to weaker teeth. One of them is the regular intake of sugary foods like sweets, cold drinks, etc. When you don’t clean your teeth properly after having sugar, bacteria start feeding on them.
Having a dry mouth also contributes to tooth decay. Saliva keeps your mouth moist and removes leftover food from your teeth. When your mouth is dry (no or lesser saliva production), the bacteria continue to grow. These bacteria produce acids that cause tooth decay.
Not having enough fluoride is another factor that causes tooth problems. Thus, numerous reasons cause tooth decay. If you want to treat your teeth, you need to find the root cause of your problems.
Different ways to strengthen your teeth
With the lock-down upon us, sedentary lifestyle has increased. If you are lazy in taking care of your oral hygiene, it can lead to severe problems. Following are some ways to strengthen your teeth and make them stronger.
Brush your teeth
Kind of a cliché, but the most predominant way to protect your teeth is to brush daily. Twice a day, after you wake up and before you sleep. Remove the leftover pieces of food stuck between your teeth by brushing daily.
If you don’t remove the food particles, bacteria start feeding on them. As a result, they produce acidic products. These acids erode your tooth enamel.
Increase your fluoride intake
When acids from bacteria remove minerals from your teeth, it causes demineralization. The reverse of this process is mineralization, in which minerals are deposited back into your teeth.
The most important mineral is fluoride. It strengthens the enamel, making sure it doesn’t chip. So, drink fluoridated water and use toothpaste with fluoride in it.
Decrease your sugar intake
As discussed above, oral bacteria feed on the bits and pieces of left-over food in your teeth. More precisely food containing a higher quantity of sugar. Chewy candy which gets stuck on your teeth is an example of the kind of food you need to stay away from.
Cold drinks are both high in sugar and acidic. It causes more acid production by bacteria leading to enamel erosion. It makes your teeth’ nerve endings more sensitive.
Don’t brush aggressively
You can also weaken your tooth enamel by brushing vigorously. Learn how to brush your teeth properly. The most effective way is to hold your toothbrush at a 45° angle to your gums then brush with gentle movements.
Use a toothbrush with soft bristles. Use a tongue scraper to scrape off debris and food particles. Also, make sure to floss every day to get every little piece of food stuck in your teeth’ crevices.
Avoid tobacco and alcohol
Smoking is related to a lot of oral problems like yellowing of teeth, bad breath, darker gums, etc. It also causes tooth decay, gums diseases, and more severe mouth cancer.
Alcohol, on the other hand, is high in sugar and acids. This leads to enamel erosion. When your enamel becomes weak, it can easily be chipped or broken. It can also cause tooth fallout because it affects the health of your gums.
Strengthen from outside
As much as you need strength from within, a little outside help is also necessary. You should visit your dentist twice a year for regular check-ups. He can guide you on how to take external care of your pearly whites.
If your teeth are in poor condition, you can opt for veneers. Veneers are made up of strong porcelain material. If you suffer from enamel erosion, you can use this sheet to cover your teeth. Thus, in this way, it strengthens your teeth.
Conclusion
A healthy smile means a healthy body. You shouldn’t take your oral hygiene for granted. It needs as much care and attention as any other body part.
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