Teeth are the main structures that help us in the chewing process.
In addition to this particularly important role for the health of the whole body, teeth also contribute to a number of other functions such as phonation and help to give the patient a pleasant appearance of the whole face.
Most patients, especially those who come for dental check-ups and treatments, take care of their teeth because they realize the importance of this routine.
Often, however, patients do not realize that they are, perhaps unwittingly, practicing a number of habits that lead to damage to their dental units.
Of these, we will mention the most common ones:
– drinking red wine –in small quantities, some cultures consider red wine as a food mainly because it contains substances beneficial to the body. However, the effect on teeth is not positive, as red wine contains acids that attack enamel.
On the other hand, the amount of alcohol it contains dehydrates the body, thus decreasing the amount of saliva, leaving the mouth feeling dry.
A dehydrated oral cavity means an oral cavity that is prone to cavities, because the saliva’s washing effect is no longer produced.
Also, doubled by the action of acids, red wine predisposes to the appearance and maintenance of the caries process also by lowering the pH of the oral environment.
That is why, after drinking wine, it is advisable and welcome to eat cheese, which helps to stimulate saliva and increase pH.
– extreme temperature foods– Eating foods that are too hot or too cold can cause microcracks in the enamel due to sudden contraction and expansion.
In addition, if dentine sensitivity is present, contact with these foods will mean applying too strong stimuli to the dental nerve endings.
It is therefore advisable for patients to be cautious and not to overdo the temperature at which they serve food.
– coffee consumption– in large quantities, coffee, like colored teas, stains the teeth, and if sugar or milk is added, it will become a food source for cariogenic bacteria.
The risk of staining teeth decreases if contact with teeth is avoided. Thus, drinking through a straw, coffee and tea will only come into direct contact with teeth to a very small extent.
– carbonated drinks and sports supplements– Even sugar-free drinks, because of their acid content, are very aggressive with tooth enamel, pulling enamel from teeth and making it porous.
Their consumption encourages staining of the teeth and the appearance of cavities. And in this case, using a straw helps a lot to prevent caries, by reducing the contact time between the tooth and the acids.
In all situations where sugars or acidic foods and drinks are consumed, rinsing afterwards with water helps to stimulate saliva, increase its flushing effect and prevent damage to tooth enamel.
Because teeth are sensitive structures to temperature variations and certain concentrations of substances, we need to take care of them at all times.
