Your teeth are important, and tooth decay is a sign of unhealthy teeth. If you don't brush often or if you forget to floss, this can lead to oral health problems you probably don't want to deal with. Enamel is the protective covering on your teeth, and when plaque sits on your teeth, enamel can get broken down. There is bacteria in plaque, and it ruins the enamel on your teeth slowly. Most of the time you aren't going to be able to reverse tooth decay, but with good oral hygiene you can often prevent tooth decay from occurring.

Daily Habits Matter

Plaque buildup on your teeth is never good, and both brushing and flossing help remove plaque. Flossing improves the circulation in your gums, providing you with a lower risk of gum disease. You can also use mouthwash every day, which helps break down plaque and stop decay.

Understanding the Benefits of Fluoride

Fluoride helps keep your teeth from decaying, and it can also help turn back minimal decay. Fluoride prevents harmful bacteria in your mouth from forming the acid that breaks down your enamel, and it can replace some loss of minerals in your tooth enamel when used regularly. You can get fluoride into your daily habits from water that is fluoridated, using a fluoride rinse on your teeth, or brushing your teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride.

Chewing Sugarless Gum Helps

Chewing gum is beneficial to your oral health, as long as the gum is sugarless. Chewing gum promotes the production of saliva in your mouth, washing away dangerous bacteria that causes cavities. Some ingredients in sugarless chewing gum such as xylitol can stop the production of acid and help your teeth get back necessary minerals. If you don't have time to brush your teeth, chewing sugarless gum is a great option.

Consider a Prescription Mouthwash

Talk with your dentist about prescription mouthwash to see if it will be useful for your oral health. It can help improve gums that are bleeding or swollen, and helps prevent gingivitis.If your gums bleed when you brush your teeth, a prescription mouthwash may help heal your gums so that you don't get gum disease.

It's important to see your dentist at least twice a year for routine cleanings. If you find yourself having trouble in between visits, call your dentist, someone from a place like the Northwest Dental Services and Implant Center, for a checkup. Preventive dentistry is going to help you avoid emergencies in the future.