Pain in the Mouth ~ How to Avoid Cavities

One of my bosses at work says that every time he visits the dentist he gets commended on how often he flosses. He has never flossed a day in his life. Nor has he ever had a cavity. If you are like him, you need not read further as you have strong teeth and gums. This is for those of us that are cavity-prone with possible low-calcium, eroding, or just annoying teeth.

Many people with chronic dental health issues can attribute it to their hygiene practices and diet as a child. Brushing and flossing is not enough for everyone. So here are a few tips for you and/or your children. This information has been obtained by my personal dentist over the last three years of all of my personal dental appointments.

**If you don't have insurance**

Drink plenty of tap water. Most urban areas have fluoride-treated water. If your water is not out-rightly disgusting out of the faucet, drink it straight. No need for buying the purified water that takes a lot of the fluoride out. If your water is not fluoride-treated (i.e. if you live in a smaller area or if your area uses well water that does not need to be treated), then you can buy fluoridated water from your local grocer.

Brush and floss daily and as often as possible. Keep a toothbrush with you for on the go. If you have a drink with sugar in it or a sweet snack, brush your teeth IMMEDIATELY.

Try to avoid drinks with sugar or carbonation. Unsweetened tea or tea with artificial sweeteners can provide you with caffeine without the carbonation. This wears away the enamel on your teeth, which is the main cause for tooth erosion and then cavities.

Get Act Restoring mouthwash. This is recommended by most dentists for people with sensitive teeth, but it is actually good at strengthening your enamel and blocking further erosion.

Remember that myth that drinking a lot of milk is good for your teeth? It's true, but only as a child. Once you have gotten your permanent teeth in, your dental health is set. Once you start to lose calcium in your teeth, you will continue to lose it.

**If you have insurance**

Don't be afraid to go to the dentist. The pain from a cleaning or even filling a cavity is minimal compared to a full blown cavity.

Take yourself and your child to EVERY 6-month cleaning and annual x-ray. Depending on your insurance coverage, you may even get this treatment free every visit.

Get fluoride treatments for your child AND for yourself. Many insurance companies will cover this for a child only. Even if it does not cover the adult, the out-of-pocket expenses are usually only $10 - $40. It is worth it if you get cavities easily.

When the dentist tells you to floss twice daily, at least do it nightly before bed. When the dentist recommends a mouth rinse or certain toothbrush, get it.

Bring an mp3 player with you if you don't like the dreaded "drilling" sound.

All in all, just keep in mind that your dental health is still your health. Your diet and your habits play a large role in your dental health. Drink plenty of water (which is good for you anyway), brush, floss, and pay attention. Besides getting dentures, these teeth have to last you quite a few years.