Establish good dietary habits
Many people have a misconception that if they can thoroughly brush their teeth,
they can avoid having dental caries. In fact, in order to effectively prevent dental
caries, we have to start with a good dietary habit.
What kinds of food will lead to Dental Caries?
All food that contains sugar can be metabolised by the bacteria in the plaque located on the tooth surfaces to produce acid. The
acid will attack enamel of the teeth which will lead
to dental caries.
Most of the food and drinks available in the market contain sugar which will increase
the risk of getting caries.
Snacking frequency and Dental Caries
As soon as we eat or drink, the bacteria in the plaque on tooth surfaces will metabolise
the sugar and produce acid. The acid will then lead to loss of minerals from the
tooth surfaces. Chances of getting dental caries will be reduced by allowing sufficient
time in between meals for the saliva to neutralise the acid and redeposit minerals
onto the tooth surfaces.
Consequences of frequent snacking
If one snacks frequently, there will be continuous production of acid by plaque
bacteria and insufficient time for the saliva to neutralize the acid. This will
result in persistent acidic environment which favours the development of dental
caries.
Therefore, even a small piece of biscuit or a sip of beverage is considered one
snack, which will bring one more chance of getting dental caries.