Despite their bad reputation, root canals are tooth-saving procedures that alleviate the pain caused by damaged or diseased soft tissue within a tooth.
Every adult can remember their parents telling them as a child that overeating candy will rot their teeth and leave them with a mouthful of cavities. If you are a parent now, you probably catch yourself citing this same statement to your children. Certain candies are worse for your teeth than others, and the new buzz is all around a candy that can help fight cavities - yes, you read that right!
A fourth-grade girl living in Michigan created Zollipops, a healthy lollipop. Unlike other lollipops on the market, Alina Morse's lollipops are free of sugar, gluten, and GMO-free.
So how do they work?
Zollipops work by helping to balance out the PH levels in your mouth, which is one of the leading causes of tooth decay and cavities. By using a non-traditional sweetener, Zollipops contain a natural alternative to sugar like stevia and xylitol.
You've probably heard your dentist or hygienist recommend chewing Xylitol gum to help reduce cavities and improve your overall oral health. Xylitol gum helps inhibit cavity-causing bacteria and is the perfect sweetener for chewing gum because the bacteria living on our teeth cannot digest it, releasing their hold on the surfaces of your teeth. Xylitol gum can also help remineralize teeth and help relieve dry mouth.
Most gums you will find at the check-out stand in the grocery store are, in fact, sugar-free; however, most of these sugar-free gums contain artificial sweeteners. Those artificial sweeteners are usually aspartame and acesulfame potassium, which are both considered safe by the FDA. However, some studies have linked fake sugars to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Xylitol feeds good bacteria and acts as an anti-inflammatory, while traditional sugars have the opposite effect and feed inflammatory bacteria.
Eating a balanced diet with specific nutrients and foods can help your mouth in fighting plaque buildup. To help fight bacteria in, focus on a diet that's rich in:
Fruits And Vegetables Rich In Fiber
Foods with fiber have a detergent effect on your mouth and help get your natural saliva flowing, decreasing harmful bacteria. These foods can help act as a natural defense against cavities and gum disease. Because your saliva contains traces of calcium and phosphate, it also restores minerals to areas of your teeth that have lost them from bacterial acids from harmful foods. Some of these great food choices are:
Cheese, Milk, Yogurt, And Other Dairy
Cheese is another way to increase the saliva in your mouth. The calcium in cheese and the calcium and phosphates in milk and other dairy products help put back minerals your teeth might have lost from consuming other foods.
Green And Black Teas
Depending on the type of water you use to brew your tea, a cup of tea can be a source of fluoride, and tea contains polyphenols that interfere with plaque bacteria from holding onto the surfaces of your teeth.
Eating certain foods invite tooth decay right into your mouth, leading to cavities. To keep your mouth in check, avoid:
Remember, even if your diet is stellar, you will run into plaque buildup if you neglect your oral hygiene. Be sure to pair your smart eating with twice-daily brushing and daily flossing, and schedule regular dental exams. Having your teeth examined regularly will help catch potential issues while they are still small and inexpensive.
Can't quite remember when you last saw your dentist? Schedule a cleaning and exam with Elite Dental & Denture PC today.
You Might Also Enjoy...
Despite their bad reputation, root canals are tooth-saving procedures that alleviate the pain caused by damaged or diseased soft tissue within a tooth.
Getting a tooth pulled is no fun. But is there anything you can do to decrease the chances you will require a tooth extraction? Luckily, in many cases, the answer is yes.
Is it really safe to attempt DIY teeth whitening on your own? Many teeth whitening hacks might not only be ineffective, but could cause permanent damage to your teeth.
Wondering whether gingivitis is creeping into your gum line? Here's what to look for at home.
Your root canal allows you to heal and protect a troubled tooth - and the procedure isn't as scary as many patients think.
Prioritize your Cortland family's healthy teeth and gums to instill new, healthy habits and help everyone achieve better dental checkups in 2022