Dental Health Goals for 2013 Suggested by Riverside Dentists

at Riverside Dental Group will talk about more.

Give Up Soda

Soda packs a one-two punch in terms of . Not only is soda filled with lots of sugar, but it is very acidic. Sugar feeds the bacteria called Streptococcus mutans that cause cavities. When S mutans consume sugar, they convert it into lactic acid and virtually spray it all over the surfaces of your teeth. As the acid sits on your tooth enamel, it can actually eat through it, exposing your tooth’s dentin layer to S mutans where they can begin their tooth decay party. Between the sugar and the acid, daily soda drinking is a recipe for cavities at some point, If you do indulge in a soda, rinse your mouth with water immediately afterwards to get rid of some of the acid, but wait 30 minutes to brush your teeth, so that the tooth enamel has a chance to re-harden.

Bi-Annual Checkups

Bi-annual means twice-a-year, or once every six months. Do you visit your dentist with that kind of regularity? This would be a perfect dental health goal for 2013, if you don’t already keep to this schedule for getting your teeth examined and cleaned. No matter how much of a strong oral hygiene self-care program you have at home, plaque can build up on teeth when S mutans mix with food particles and acid to create a sticky biofilm. Even with regular brushing, some plaque builds up on the surfaces of teeth. When plaque calcifies, it hardens and turns into tartar. Once that builds up on teeth, professional cleaning is the only way to remove tartar. If tartar isn’t removed, it can contribute to cavities and gum disease.

Checkups in Riverside

Follow your 2013 dental health goals by calling our  to patients of all ages in Riverside and surrounding areas.