How to Avoid Dental Cavities ~ 5 Ways to Achieve This

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How to Avoid Dental Cavities
6 Best Tooth Care Tips

Taking care of your teeth and gums is one of the most important things a person can do.
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Having a healthy, white smile obviously does wonders for your confidence and sense of self-worth. Still, good oral health is important for many more reasons.

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Having to wear dentures or have implants put in are both painful and expensive. There is even evidence that shows proper oral hygiene provides benefits for your cardiovascular health!
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All of this means that you really should do everything you can to keep your teeth in good shape and prevent cavities.
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Luckily, keeping cavities from forming isn’t all that difficult as long as you follow these 5 simple steps below.
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1. Pay Attention to What You Eat
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Eating healthily is incredibly important to your oral health. People who frequently snack or consume lots of sugary foods or drinks are much more likely to get cavities than those who don’t.
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The reason is that sugars, carbohydrates, and other starches provide food for the bacteria in your mouth.
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When the bacteria feast on these leftover particles, they convert the sugars into acid that can strip away tooth enamel and cause cavities to form.
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For this reason, it is important to eat a healthy diet and to stay away from sugary foods and drinks and to limit your snacking.
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By doing so, you’ll not only benefit your oral health and lower your risk of getting cavities, but you’ll also benefit your overall health and well-being.
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#2. Brush Your Teeth at Least Twice a Day

Although it sounds obvious, brushing your teeth at least twice a day is one of the most important things a person can do to lower their risk of cavities.
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Brushing your teeth helps to remove those food particles that would otherwise be converted into cavity-causing acids, while also helping to keep your gums healthy and prevent tooth decay.
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If possible, it is best if you brush your teeth immediately after each time you eat or snack. Moreover, using a fluoride toothpaste as this will further lower your risk of cavities.
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#3. Remember to Floss and to use Mouthwash

Although brushing is important, you also need to remember to floss your teeth at least twice a day. Brushing can only do so much to remove leftover food particles, and without flossing, there will always be some particles stuck in between your teeth.
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Flossing helps to remove these bits from in between the teeth and thus ensure the bacteria in your mouth has nothing to feast on. It’s also a good idea to include a fluoride-containing mouthwash in your daily routine as well.
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#4. Chew Your Way to Fewer Cavities

Although you should try to stay away from sweet snacks, including most chewing gum, there is some evidence that a certain type of chewing gum may actually provide benefits to your oral health.
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Most sugar-free chewing gums contain the artificial sweetener xylitol, and studies have shown that xylitol may be able to help temporarily slow the growth of cavity-causing bacteria.
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For this reason, you might want to consider chewing a piece of sugar-free gum occasionally—especially when you don’t have time to brush after a meal.
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#5. Above All Else, Visit Your Dentist Regularly for Check-ups
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All of the above factors should definitely help to lower your chances of getting cavities.
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However, nothing will ever be able to replace those bi-annual trips to the dentist. Making sure to see your dentist regularly is imperative for both preventing cavities and spotting them before they cause major issues.

According to the US Center for Disease Control (CDC), almost one-quarter of adult Americans have untreated cavities. Still, all it would take is a trip to a dentist to get these cavities fixed.
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There’s really no need to get stressed because of fear. Focus on the benefits. Going to the dentist will provide many additional benefits that extend beyond treating cavities. A regular dental cleaning and check-up can also help to prevent cavities.

At the end of the day, preventing cavities from forming doesn’t have to be all that difficult or take up too much of your time. A good oral healthcare routine will only take up a few minutes of your time each day, and the benefits it provides make it more than worth it.
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No one likes getting cavities. Therefore, it is essential that you follow these steps if you want to ensure your mouth remains cavity free.