Preventing Tooth Decay
You’ll notice that sweetened carbonated beverages a favorite of many people, unfortunately are actually a triple threat to healthy teeth.
On the other hand, there are foods that can help fight and prevent tooth ache. Mineral-rich vegetables, nuts, and whole grains enhance the buffering (neutralizing) action of the saliva, and promote recalcification of the teeth. They also preserve teeth from the inside by helping to maintain proper balances of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. And tannin, which is found in black teas, grapes, and certain herbs, fights the bacteria that are involved in the decay process.
In the early stages of tooth decay, there are likely to be no symptoms. In fact, until a developing cavity is pretty far advanced, you will probably not be aware of it. Then the tooth may become sensitive to heat and cold, and you may feel discomfort after eating sugary foods. Since symptoms develop only after significant decay has occurred, you have to have periodic dental examinations to prevent your teeth from developing a serious decay problem.
A dentist can detect early signs of decay either visually or by probing (the spot on the surface of tooth where decay is beginning will feel softer than it should). At this stage, the problem is simpler and relatively painless to treat. Your dentist should then also be able to help you identify and change the decay-promoting elements in your oral environment so that you can reduce the chances of other cavities developing in the future.
