If you continually find yourself snacking throughout the day, you could be putting your mouth at risk of several oral health ailments. This is because the longer that debris and bacteria are in contact with your teeth and gums, the longer that damage can occur. To limit the damage that can happen, avoid eating food between meals.

Saliva is essential for optimum oral health because it has been shown to help wash away food debris, neutralize harmful acids and can even be used to provide additional care for your mouth. Saliva can aid in the prevention of cavities and can even lower your risk for dental erosion. To produce additional saliva in your mouth, try chewing sugarless gum after meals or eating foods with a high water content. Crunchy foods with high water contents are excellent ways to improve saliva production in your mouth.

To help ensure your smile is safe from the risks of dental erosion, eat foods that are known to strengthen your tooth enamel. Enamel-building minerals include calcium and phosphorus. These minerals are often found in products such as nuts, milk, cheese, and meats.

Your ideal smile starts with healthy foods to eat. For an oral examination, call Royse City Dental Care at 972-636-2417. Drs. Hutchison, Gabrielsen, Craig and our team at our dentist office in Royse City, Texas look forward to taking your smile into the future with optimum oral health care treatments and procedures.

The post Replenish Your Smile with Healthy Foods to Eat first appeared on Royse City Dental Care.

Acidic Foods:

– Be mindful of acidic foods and foods with a low pH level, as acids in foods can eat through tooth enamel and cause cavities. This includes tomatoes, citrus fruits, and sour candy.

Sticky or Chewy Foods:

– Avoid foods that linger around your mouth long after consumption, as it can increase the time that dental erosion can occur.

Hard Foods:

– Hard or tough foods can break, chip, crack, or knock your teeth loose. Some hard or tough foods include corn on the cob, corn kernels, candy apples, and well-cooked steak.

Sugary Sweets:

– Sugars that are found in foods and drinks are some of the biggest risks to your oral health. Bacteria in plaque can convert sugars in your mouth into harmful acids that can cause dental erosion to occur.

No matter which option for your tooth restoration care you desire, one of our experienced dentists, Drs. Edmon Hutchison, Eric Gabrielsen, or Lena Craig at Royse City Dental Care will ensure that you get the care and quality your smile requires. If you would like to visit us at our dentist office in Royse City, Texas, please schedule an appointment at 972-636-2417. Come in today to learn all about the joys of a healthy smile!

The post Build a Better Smile This Summer by Avoiding Unhealthy Foods first appeared on Royse City Dental Care.

How does this happen?
No. 1 Gum disease (or periodontitis) can result from improper brushing and daily flossing.
No. 2 Gum tissue can be affected by nighttime grinding and clenching of teeth as it wears down the enamel.
No. 3 An injury to the mouth can cause gum tissue to recede from the tooth.
No. 4 You may be at higher risk for gum disease if one or both of your parents have receding gums.
No. 6 Brushing your teeth harshly can wear down tooth enamel and gum tissue.
No. 7 If your bite is misaligned (it doesn’t match up), the constant pressure on individual teeth can create gum recession.

4 Steps to Prevent Gum Disease:
No. 1 Use a soft-bristled tooth brush and brush gently but thoroughly. Don’t forget to floss!
No. 2 Use an antimicrobial toothpaste and mouth rinse to reduce the amount of harmful in the mouth.
No. 3 Wearing a night guard can help to prevent clenching and grinding of your pearly whites while you sleep.
No 4 Six month dental cleanings will remove calculus to prevent periodontitis.

You don’t have to let gum disease keep your smile at bay. If you think you are experiencing gum disease, see one of our dentists for an evaluation and begin any necessary treatment. Untreated gum disease can eventually result in tooth loss. We invite you to call our Royse City Dental Care staff at 972-636-2417 today!

The post How Gum Disease Impacts You first appeared on Royse City Dental Care.

Streptococcus is a type of bacteria which lives in your mouth, and every time you eat a piece of food, or drink something, it feeds on the sugars and starches left behind. Then it reacts with the sugars and starches and creates acid. Eventually this acid turns into a sticky film—plaque—that coats your teeth and if left untreated, hardens into tartar.

Tooth decay happens in stages. As the bacterial acid breaks down your tooth enamel, it exposes the softer, sensitive dentin layer underneath. As it strips the minerals from your enamel it causes holes. The dentin, because it is soft, is even more vulnerable to acid erosion. If it is allowed to continue unchecked, it wears down the tooth’s structure until it reaches the pulp, which houses the nerves and blood vessels. Here the bacteria irritate the pulp until is swells, which means you can experience severe toothache and sensitivity, and pain when you chew. If your becomes abscessed, you will have an infection, which is the creation of a pocket of pus as your body sends white blood cells to fight the infection.

To avoid the damaging effects of plaque and the resulting cavities, there are some things you can do:

–Brush and floss at least twice a day.
–Drink water to stay well hydrated by maintaining saliva production to protect your teeth and gums.
–Eat a healthy balanced diet, avoiding excess sugars and starches.
–Visit your dentist at least once a year to remove hardened plaque.

Our dental team at Royse City Dental Care is here to help you keep cavities at bay. Call us at 972-636-2417 if you have any questions or to schedule your next appointment!

The post Plaque and Your Oral Health first appeared on Royse City Dental Care.