5 Simple Ways You Didn’t Know You Can Protect Your Teeth

Dr. Dean Salo
Aug 28, 2017 · 2 min read

You can tell a lot about a person by their smile; if they’re having a bad or good day or even if they take care of their teeth. Take care of yours with these 5 simple daily tasks to protect your teeth:

  1. Brush twice daily for 2 minutes each.
    Brushing your teeth with a soft toothbrush and toothpaste removes bacteria and food from your mouth including the cavity-creating particles that break down your enamel.
  2. Brush in the morning.
    How does morning bad breath happen? When you sleep, plaque builds up and calcifies, meaning hardens your teeth and forms tartar. Tartar irritates your gums and may lead to gum disease. Tartar is the culprit of bad breath.
  3. Don’t brush too much or too hard.
    If you brush for longer than 4 minutes in a day, you’re at risk for brushing your enamel away. Enamel doesn’t grow back so if you lose it all, you put yourself at risk for exposing dentin. Dentin is the second layer of your teeth that have tiny passageways that lead to nerve endings, which can bring you severe pain. To add, if your toothbrush looks flat, you’re brushing too hard.
  4. Flossing each day keeps the dentist away.
    Flossing is important because it removes all the particles your toothbrush missed and prevents tartar build up. Tartar buildup can only be removed by a dentist. This begs the question, “Do I floss first or brush?” Truth is, it doesn’t matter which comes first, as long as you floss and brush daily.
  5. Stay away from soda’s tooth decay.
    The acid in soda ruins your teeth. Any kind of soda tears down your enamel, including diet soda. Once the acid in the soda ruins your enamel, it starts to create cavities, leave stains, and even eat away at the arrangement of your teeth.

By simply incorporating these 5 tips in your daily routine could save you from enamel erosion and tooth decay. That’s something to smile about.

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Dr. Dean Salo

Written by

Dr. Dean Salo is an expert in cosmetic dentistry and surgery. Located in Southern California, Dr. Salo provides his patients with outstanding results.

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