Tooth decay is one of the worst things that people can think of when they think of dental problems. Nobody wants to end up with a hole in their tooth that needs to be filled that causes an even bigger hole in your pocket. The best way to avoid this is to understand how tooth decay works and we will talk about this further in this article.

Enamel
Our teeth are amazing structures that are effectively bones, but they have a protective coating that protects and gives them their shine and whiteness and is known as enamel. Plaque causes enamel to wear away and allows small holes to develop in our teeth and these lead to further tooth decay and even causing the need to have teeth removed if not treated promptly

Causes of plaque
Plaque is a sticky deposit that forms on your teeth and comprises of bacteria, food, saliva and other fluids. As mentioned before plaque can cause dental cavities, but also causes issues such as staining of the teeth and gum disease if not maintained regularly.

Plaque poses the biggest risk to tooth enamel and should be maintained by brushing, flossing and using mouthwash regularly.

Prevention is the best cure
In the case of your teeth there are certain things that we cannot control, for example the shape of our teeth may make it difficult or even impossible to brush properly and this may cause cavities. Obviously this is something that cannot be controlled but having good dental habits is, it is important to do at least the basics such as brushing twice a day, flossing twice a week and

Another great way to prevent tooth decay is to maintain a healthy and well balanced diet, whilst avoiding excessive amounts of sugar and acidic foods that can damage your tooth enamel and cause decay. Drinking an adequate amount of water is also important.

To find out more about tooth decay and how to avoid it speak to your dentist in Trim or other area for more information.

About the Dentist

Boyne House

Church Hill

Navan

County Meath

Ireland