Good dental health is an important part of your overall well-being. If dental and oral health are ignored it can result in tooth decay and other issues. According to the American Dental Hygienists' Association, almost 80% of Americans have at least one cavity by the age of 17. There are, however, steps that can be taken to prevent cavities at home. Let's look at ways you can prevent cavities.

Tooth Cleaning

The first line of defense against cavities is always to develop good dental habits. You can't depend on your dental service to do everything for your teeth. Dental habits start with cleaning. Our experts recommend you brush your teeth at least twice a day, and more if you are eating a lot of sugary treats. When you brush your teeth, you should brush for two minutes. Getting a timer or using a timer on your phone is a good way to keep yourself accountable for this.

Flossing

In addition to cleaning your teeth at home, you also need to floss regularly. We've seen that flossing should be done at night, or any time of day as long as you are doing it once a day. Flossing should be thorough but should not be so aggressive that you damage your gums. If you're unsure of how to floss properly, you can ask your dentist for tips during your next dental service or watch videos online to learn better techniques.

Managing Your Diet

What you eat will really affect the health of your teeth. You should avoid very sugary treats on a regular basis. Not only are these bad for your health in general, but they can be very bad for your dental health. Sugar sticks to the enamel of teeth and is very difficult to remove. Even brushing sometimes does not remove all the sticky sugar from your teeth. If you do have something sweet, be sure to drink water right after.

Avoiding Soda

There is very little redeeming quality for soda anyway, but if you're concerned with fighting cavities, you should kick soda off the list. Soda is full of sugar and completely coats your teeth when you drink it. Our dental experts have seen that water is the healthiest option for dental health and general health.

If you would like to learn more about dental health, or if you're looking for a new dental service, please call Harvard Dental Group today. We have a team of very knowledgeable dental professionals. We would love to get to know you and your teeth.