One person may be more vulnerable to cavities than another, even if both individuals put the same effort into brushing and flossing their teeth. A number of factors can impact your relative risk for tooth decay. Your enamel may be naturally stronger or weaker than someone else’s, and your diet may differ in ways that affect your risk for tooth problems. You should be aware that persistent issues with dry mouth can also be a problem for you if you want to avoid restorative dental work. Our Virginia Beach, VA dentist’s office is proud to help patients maintain their smile health over time through regular dental checkups, and through advice that can help them recognize their relative risk for problems.
How Can Dry Mouth Affect A Person’s Oral Health?
Dry mouth poses a potential problem for your smile because we rely on saliva for natural protection against dental problems. If your body is not able to produce as much as it should, you can have a more difficult time washing away food debris and other harmful particles on teeth. It can also be harder for you to protect your smile because saliva helps neutralize bacteria and acids that can affect your oral health.
Changing Your Diet In Order To Deal With Dry Mouth
Salty items, dry foods, coffee, and tea can make a person more prone to dry mouth. Cutting back on these items, and sticking to a range of healthier foods, can be beneficial. You should also recognize that dry mouth is a common sign of dehydration. In other words, you may be consuming less water than you should, which can hurt your ability to produce saliva.
While your diet choices are important, there are other factors that can lead to dry mouth that you should be aware of. Check the side effects of any medications you have been prescribed, as they may cause dry mouth. Periods of stress and anxiety are also capable of causing this condition.
Consistent Preventive Dental Care Is Important
If you want to avoid problems that require dental fillings or dental crowns, it is important to sustain good preventive dental health habits. Brush at least two times a day, and floss at least once, to fight the buildup of food particles and bacteria on your teeth. Remember that hard to reach spaces can be vulnerable to bacteria buildup, and that these spaces can be more prone to problems if you are not spending the time to thoroughly clean your teeth each day.
Absolute Dental Care Offers A Range Of Oral Health Services To The Virginia Beach Community
At Absolute Dental Care in Virginia Beach, VA, we can help our patients recognize their risks when it comes to oral health problems, and we can help them stay safe against those issues! To find out more about how we can help you, please call our Virginia Beach dentist’s office at (757) 428-7440.
