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Brush your teeth twice a day and after
eating sweet foods. Use a soft bristle toothbrush and toothpaste
containing fluoride. Fluoride is effective in preventing and
reversing the early signs of dental caries, or tooth decay.
Fluoride makes the tooth structure stronger, so teeth are
more resistant to acid attacks. Acid is formed when the bacteria
in plaque break down sugars and carbohydrates from the diet.
Repeated acid attacks break down the tooth, which causes cavities.
Fluoride also acts to repair, or remineralize, areas where
acid attacks have already begun. The remineralization effect
of fluoride is important because it reverses the early decay
process as well as creating a tooth surface that is more resistant
to decay.
It is also important to floss your teeth daily to remove any
food or food particles that become trapped between teeth.
The food trapped between teeth can also lead to tooth decay.
Visit your dentist every six months for a professional cleaning
and oral examination. Your dentist can determine if your dental
maintenance program is appropriate for your oral health.
Learn more about the following dental health issues and treatments
by clicking on the links below. These informational handouts
are brought to you by Crest and Hawaii Family Dental Centers.
Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to download these information
sheets. If you don’t have Adobe Acrobat Reader, download
it for free here.
• Partners
for Better Oral Hygiene (148K)
• Brushing/Flossing
Instructions (152K)
• Dentinal
Hypersensitivity (136K)
• Management
of Dentinal Hypersensitivity (148K)
• Fluoride:
A Shield Against Cavities (132K)
• The
Importance of Regular Visits (120K)
• Sensitive
Teeth (124K)
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