Love Unique And Colorful Foods And Beverages? Protect Your Tooth Enamel With These Tips
If you love to eat or drink unique, colorful foods and beverages that can potentially stain, erode or decay your tooth enamel, take steps to protect your enamel now. Although Kimchi, dark-roasted specialty coffee drinks and other delicious and popular items may taste great or offer some health benefits to you, they may also contain sugars, spices, dyes, and acids that break down tooth enamel. If you don't protect your tooth enamel with the right tips, you may lose your teeth to decay and enamel erosion. Here's how you protect your tooth enamel now.
Rinse Your Mouth Immediately After Meals
You can help protect your tooth enamel after eating or drinking unique things by rinsing your mouth immediately after mealtime, especially if you can't brush your teeth. It only takes minutes after consuming sugar for bacteria to create acids on your tooth enamel. Rinsing your mouth with cool or warm water washes away the acids so that they don't have a chance to break down your enamel.
In addition, rinsing your mouth after eating protects the pH level of your mouth. Dishes that contain vinegar and other strong acids may also damage your enamel by changing the pH level in your mouth. According to some sources, eating highly acidic foods creates excessive amounts of bacteria in your mouth, which can lead to a number of problems, including decay.
It's a good idea that you bring along a bottle of fresh water to rinse your mouth when you eat on-the-go, or when you can't access a restroom to brush to your teeth after meals. If possible, keep a second bottle of water to sip on between meals to stay hydrated.
Sip on Water or Tea
Keeping your mouth hydrated with water encourages the saliva in your mouth to develop, which contains bacteria-fighting enzymes that reduce your chances of getting tooth decay. Saliva also contains unique chemicals that help your enamel utilize calcium and other minerals, which are key ingredients for strong, healthy teeth. It's recommended that you drink at least 13 cups of water a day if you're a male, or you can consume up to 9 cups of water a day if you're female.
If you can't tolerate drinking large amounts of water throughout the day, substitute some of your recommended cups with unsweetened green or white tea. Tea contains antioxidants that keep bacterial growth at bay, as well as helps you maintain good hydration and health.
If you still have concerns or problems with your teeth after trying the tips above, see a cosmetic dentist for treatments that remove and cover stained, weakened tooth enamel. The treatments include porcelain veneer placement and laser tooth whitening.