If you feel that you are doing your best to protect your smile, but you still experience issues like tooth decay, gum disease, and discoloration, it can be easy to feel discouraged. Sometimes, the obstacles standing between an individual and a healthier smile are less clear, which makes them difficult to identify and address. You may be having a difficult time because of your diet choices, or because your oral hygiene routine is less effective than you currently believe it is. Remember that you should also make regular trips to your dentist’s office for preventive care if you wish to avoid problems. At our Sheridan, WY dentist’s office, we offer ongoing dental health care that can keep your smile in good health!
How Your Diet Affects Your Dental Health
You can undermine your own efforts to prevent problems with cavities if you are maintaining a poor diet. Sugar is a concern many people recognize when it comes to keeping teeth healthy. Oral bacteria feed on sugar, which leads to the release of acids that wear down teeth – simply put, if you consume less sugar, you provide fewer opportunities for those bacteria to feed. What you should know is that acidic foods and drinks can also have negative effects. The acidity of the items you consume can soften teeth over time, which leads to them being less protected against teeth stains, and also less capable of resisting damage that leads to cavities.
Is Sleep Deprivation Affecting Your Oral Hygiene Routine?
Sleep deprivation can make it harder to keep up with your general health as well as your oral health. When you are too tired to focus, you can do a poor job brushing and flossing, and that lets harmful bacteria accumulate on your smile. You may also resort to consuming more caffeine, which can do more harm to teeth. People who are lacking enough sleep can be more prone to dehydration, and that can lead to a reduced capacity to naturally defend your smile against decay.
Make Sure You Take Action Against Tartar Formation
How can you take action against tartar formation? When you brush and floss, you remove plaque deposits that can harden and form tartar. However, you cannot remove tartar buildup on your own when deposits are already present. Your dentist can help you with their removal. Just as a trip to the dentist’s office can lead to the placement of a dental filling or dental crown for a cavity, a trip can provide you with a professional cleaning to remove tartar buildup, which makes future cavities less likely!
Your Sheridan, WY Dentist Can Help You Show Off A Healthier Smile
At our Sheridan, WY dentist’s office, patients who are bothered by past troubles with their oral health can schedule dental care and enjoy helpful feedback about their smile. To find out more about our practice and services, please call Grinnell Street Dental at 307-672-7567.