5 tips to Protecting teeth.

Our teeth play a vital role in our overall health. Here are five tips to help protect your teeth.

1. brush your teeth approximately 30 minutes after you eat.

When consuming food and beverages, the overall pH of our oral cavity lowers creating an acidic environment. This is the perfect condition to start harming the outer layer of your tooth; the enamel. Our saliva acts as a natural buffer to neutralize the pH in the mouth. This process may take up to 30 minutes in patients with a normal salivary flow. Wait until the saliva has a chance to return the mouth to a favorable pH and then brush.

2. Chug don't sip.

As aforementioned, whenever you consume food or beverages, the overall pH of our mouth lowers creating an acidic environment. It takes approximately 30 minutes for the pH to return back to a neutral harmonious pH. The pH of 5.5 is known as the critical pH in which demineralization of our teeth occurs. If we continue to sip on our drinks throughout the day, the mouth remains at a lower pH allowing bacteria to thrive and cause injury to our teeth. When given the opportunity, chug don't sip.

3. Sugar-Free Gum.

Chewing gum will stimulate salivary flow which increases the buffering capability of saliva. Make sure that it is sugar free. Sugar alternatives such as Xylitol are common substitutes that have beneficial results.

4. mouth guards.

Mouth guards come in a variety of styles. Mouths guards are highly recommended when playing contact sports including football and basketball. However, custom night guards are just as important which help protect teeth from chipping, fracturing, and acts as a natural retainer to prevent movement. Different types of mouth guards help prevent temporomandibular disorder or temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Additionally, sleep oral appliances also act as a natural mouth guard in addition to treatment of sleep apnea.

5. Most importantly, do not forget the basics. brush, floss, and gargle.