Today our informational article is all about the ways that refined carbohydrates affect your teeth and gums. Keep reading to get the facts from our Saint Louis dentists; we are here to empower you to make informed, healthy decisions for your smile.
Everything that we eat and drink has the possibility of affecting oral health. Think about it, we spend all day and much of the night coating our smiles with sugar, staining, or acidic substances!
Sugars and carbohydrates are key culprits when it comes to dental damage, because they are the very substances that oral bacteria need in order to grow and thrive. As your mouth hosts more and more oral bacteria, you will experience increased instances of cavity formation as well as gum disease.
We want to make your mouth a difficult place for bacteria to live and grow. To that end, it is important that you:
- Clean your smile at home as recommended by your dentist
- Floss at least once a day to remove plaque from hard-to-reach spaces in your smile
- Complete a professional cleaning every six months (so that our team can clear away plaque that has calcified on your teeth)
- Stay hydrated with plain old water!
- Rinse your smile after eating or drinking
- Do not eat or drink anything other than water after you have cleaned your smile before bed
It is impossible to totally get rid of harmful oral bacteria. However, there are steps that you can take to make it harder for these bacteria to thrive. As always, our Saint Louis dentists can give you more information and they can help you schedule a personal consultation with our team. We look forward to answering any questions you may have!