One of the best ways to prevent cavities is to brush and floss properly. But unfortunately, people can experience tooth decay despite their oral hygiene habits. Let’s take a look at some of the possible causes behind tooth decay despite regular brushing and flossing.
1.Your Toothpaste Be the Blame
If you are experiencing dental problems within a few days of replacing the toothpaste, your toothpaste may have a higher dentin abrasive value. Such dental care products can damage the tooth surface. Whether it’s regular toothpaste or whitener, always opt for a product with an RDA of 250 or less.
2.Molars and Premolars are Prone to Decay
The posterior teeth (molars and premolars) play a crucial role in breaking down food before swallowing. There are numerous slits, pits and grooves that trap food particles. Also, they are more difficult to clean and can quickly turn into a plaque belly. These factors make them more prone to rot and cavities.
Dentists often advise patients to choose dental sealants or tooth-colored fillings to seal pits and grooves in the back teeth to protect them.
3.Avoiding Toothpaste That Contain Fluoride is Not a Good Idea
Fluoride can be very helpful as it prevents cavities in the early stages of caries. It can also reverse tooth damage to some extent by restoring tooth enamel. Unfortunately, people use dental care products that contain natural alternatives that do not contain fluoride. Despite regular brushing, their oral health suffers due to a lack of fluoride. For this reason, dentists recommend their patients to use fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash.
4.Hereditary Issues
Some individuals always face a higher risk of developing dental health problems because of their family history. Studies show that you can’t entirely blame family history for tooth decay. However, research has proven that hereditary problems can be the reason behind weak enamel, jaw disorders, misaligned and discolored teeth. Significant misalignment requires treatment based on clear aligners or braces. Bonding treatment may be the best option for treating minor alignment issues and gaps between two teeth.
5.Improper Brushing and Flossing
If you get the bristles to be angled towards the gumline, the ends of your bristles will remove surface plaque and debris and pits. Remember, pressing the toothbrush harder against the tooth surface will not produce better results. Instead, be sure to brush for at least two minutes. Give equal importance to the areas along the gum line as well as to the chewing surfaces. Gentle, short strokes can work on all tooth surfaces. Bridges, fillings or crowns also require attention during cleaning.
Using dental floss can help get rid of food and plaque that a toothbrush can’t reach. Run the floss up and down between the spaces. Use both sides of the teeth as a squeegee tool. Use as much dental floss as possible. Gently brush your tongue daily for fresher breath. Use a tongue cleaner if needed.
6.Frequent Snacking May Cause Problems
Some dietitians encourage people to opt for multiple snacking sessions over one hearty meal. But unfortunately, this also rains a kind of constant acid rain on the teeth. Snacking on foods that contain small amounts of sugar throughout the day can lead to a persistent build-up of plaque-forming bacteria in the mouth.
Foods such as chips, dry cereal, chewy candies, cookies, dried fruits and cakes can cause harmful bacteria to grow due to their sugar content. Surprisingly, even honey and dairy products are on the list because of sticky particles that can stick to teeth and slowly cause decay. Such particles are not washed off by rinsing with water. In such cases, even brushing twice a day may not work because of the buildup and sugar that covers the teeth for hours.
It is better to choose more hearty meals than to let the food linger on the teeth throughout the day. Brushing twice a day is essential for people who like to snack frequently. Also, rinsing your mouth after every meal can significantly reduce harmful bacteria in the mouth and increase saliva production.
7.Reflux or Vomiting
Patients suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have stomach acid in their mouth due to acid reflux. This acid causes erosion and discoloration of tooth enamel. Simply put, teeth lose their protective coating and become sensitive to sweet foods, cold and hot substances. Just brushing won’t help. Such patients should immediately find the cause of the reflux or vomiting and, if necessary, seek treatment for GERD.
8.Dry Mouth
Bad bacteria from ingested food produce acid in the mouth, and saliva is the best defense against it. It breaks down the plate and controls the formation of rot that causes cavities. Some medications cause dry mouth by affecting the salivary glands that produce saliva in the mouth. Ignoring this medical condition can quickly affect a person’s oral health. Therefore, patients should inform their doctors about dry mouth. If it is a possible medication side effect, the doctor will prescribe an alternative medication.
9.Teeth Grinding
Stress and anxiety, TMJ disorder, crooked teeth, an abnormal bite, and sleep disturbances can cause teeth grinding. Sometimes patients do not even realize that they are grinding their teeth.
Grinding your teeth damages the enamel and exposes the sensitive layers of the tooth. The dentist can examine the mouth and diagnose teeth grinding. Treating the squeak with a mouth guard or other dental device can help control further damage.
If you are facing oral health problems despite proper oral hygiene habits, it is recommended that you opt for a dental examination.
