Located at the center of each tooth is the pulp. This is a highly sensitive area since this contains the delicate nerves and vital blood vessels that supply the needed nutrients to the teeth and gums. The pulp is covered by the many layers of our tooth. If exposed, the pulp becomes susceptible to infection or damage, which can be very painful. Among the common symptoms of an infected or damaged pulp are visible injury, swelling, and extreme sensitivity of the gums and teeth to hot or cold. Thus, it is very important to protect the pulp. To do this, you need to fortify its primary defense against infection or injury, ie. protect the enamel on your teeth.

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The pulp of your teeth becomes exposed when the teeth is broken or cracked or the enamel is breached. In most cases of cracked or broken teeth, it is difficult to determine the main cause of pain or discomfort because the symptoms come and go. When the crack extends into the highly sensitive areas, the affected tooth becomes susceptible to damage and infection. Accordingly, you may have to see professional dentists in Salt Lake City for your dental health needs. If not treated, it may result in the loss of the tooth. To avoid this, it is very important to protect the enamel on your teeth.

The enamel of your teeth is among the most durable substances in the body. Characterized as a hard, semi-clear protective layer, the enamel shields your teeth from the day-to-day damage resulting from biting, chewing, and similar other activities. The enamel is also responsible for protecting your teeth from the damaging effects of hot or cold food items or beverages. Yet despite being a hard exterior and a highly effective defense mechanism, your enamel will, over time, become susceptible to damage caused by acids, tartar, and bacteria in your mouth, among many other things.

As this protective shell gradually erodes, your teeth becomes increasingly prone to cavities or tooth decay as well as become highly sensitive to hot or cold. Here are a couple of simple, easy ways to protect the enamel on your teeth.

Food and drinks with high acidic content can slowly erode and wear away the protective layer of your teeth. Save your enamel from further wear and tear by simply cutting down on these highly acidic food items and beverages. These include soda, citric fruits and juices, coffee, tea, and the like.

Make it easy on your enamel and brush your teeth after every meal. This is particularly imperative if you’ve partook food or drinks high in acidic content. If brushing is not possible, rinse your mouth and gargle thoroughly. Chewing some gum can also help reduce the acid in your mouth.

If you can’t help it with your soda, coffee, or citric juices, use a drinking straw. That way, the acidic content will bypass your teeth. As much as possible, finish it up with milk to cancel out the acid.

Don’t forget to drink more water throughout your day. Water can help flush out the unwanted acids and bacteria.

With these simple habits, you can help keep your enamel intact and your teeth strong against the harmful elements that cause cavities or tooth decay. When you need help with dental health problems, look to one of the best and most reliable dentists in Utah County. Come to Alpenglow Dental and experience top-notch dentistry care with a personal touch. Get in touch with us at 801-878-1700.

Is flossing necessary? Do you really need to floss? Only a few are well-informed on the need to floss regularly and why it is important. A visit to your dentist, he or she would recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day. But what about flossing? Patients are recommended to floss once a day.

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The question is: Why should you consider flossing when you’ve already brushed your teeth? Brushing can only do so much in keeping your mouth clean and healthy; however, flossing contributes to optimal mouth care and teeth cleaning.

A toothbrush is designed with soft bristles made to physically remove a sticky, bacteria-laden film called plaque on the sides of your teeth while toothpastes contain fluoride, which helps reduce bacteria in your mouth. But even with these tools combined, they can only clean your mouth up to a certain degree because the bristles of your brush can’t adequately clean in between the teeth. But with flossing, it does the trick.

Dental floss is a special oral hygiene tool designed to remove plaque in between the teeth and corners of your mouth where bristles find it hard to reach. For over-all, total health care, it is highly advisable to brush and floss daily.

While flossing plays a major role in good oral hygiene, it is also a more gentle way of cleaning the teeth since our teeth are positioned in the gums and jaw. The roots of each teeth are held firmly by the jaw, and the roots and bones are covered by the gums, which is composed of soft, sensitive tissues.  The space between gums and teeth are most delicate; it is where small bits of food get stuck. Overtime, plaque forms and hardens, becoming tartar, which is a thick, disgusting film that covers the surface of our teeth if we don’t observe proper oral hygiene and that dentists scrape out using special tools. Tartar may lead to gingivitis — red swollen and sometimes bleeding gums. If left untreated, these symptoms can lead to severe gum diseases such as periodontitis.

Without proper oral care, a person can develop tooth and gum diseases that go beyond discolored teeth, bad breath, bleeding gums. Bacteria in the mouth, if not properly addressed and eliminated, can cause other health problems like diabetes, heart ailments, and respiratory illness, which can affect your overall health in the long run. And did you know, according to research, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.? What’s more, about 25 million Americans have diabetes.

But the good news is all these can be avoided, whether it’s a simple tooth problem or a complicated gum disease. Prevention is the best key to optimal good health. Thus, it is highly important that you brush and floss regularly. Flossing only takes a few minutes a day. It’s a small, simple step that contributes to your long-term health; an easy price to pay for optimal oral health.

Fight bacteria and other oral concerns by finding a trusted oral physician. Alpenglow Dental houses highly skilled and professional Salt Lake dentists. Get in touch with us at (801) 878-1700 to achieve and maintain beautiful, healthy teeth!