by Jane Allyson

Created on: May 27, 2007

Tooth decay occurs when foods containing sugars and starches, such as milk, soft drinks, raisins, cakes or sweets, are not cleaned from the teeth after the meal has been finished.. Bacteria that live in the mouth, feed on this food residue, producing acids as a result. Over time, these acids eat away at the tooth enamel which leads to tooth decay.

Brush your teeth every morning and just before you go to bed.

Clean between your teeth daily with floss or interdental cleaner. This is just as important as cleaning the teeth itself. Just using mouthwash doesn't get rid of the residue of old food caught between your teeth.

Eat nutritious and balanced meals and cut down on snacks. If possible, after eating foods with high carbohydrate content, give your teeth a quick brush.

Check with your dentist about use of supplemental fluoride, which strengthens your teeth, and about use of dental sealants (a plastic protective coating) applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth to give them a bit of protection from decay.
It is very important to visit your dentist on a regular basis. As people get older the composition of the mouth changes. Gums recede and fillings weaken. Your dentist will keep an eye on this for you as weakened fillings and gums can allow bacteria to seep into tiny holes and cause decay that may not be immediately apparent until the damage has been done.

On the whole, preventing tooth decay is relatively easy. It just means that you will have to get into a good routine in cleaning your teeth. One thing I always do is after I have brushed and rinsed, I gently brush all the inside of my mouth and the roof of my mouth with a soft toothbrush. Bacteria is very sticky and this helps to get rid of a little more of it.

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