Susan Caliri DDS

Tip 1. Brushing Teeth

The correct way to brush your teeth.

Tip 2.

Neutralizing the Acids from food, drinks, and plaque is essential to reducing odor and decreasing the breakdown of tooth structure and contributing to gum disease.

When it is impossible to brush your teeth, consider chewing gum that has XYlLITOL as it's 1st or 2nd ingredient. The bacteria that cause tooth decay cannot digest xylitol and therefore will fail to thrive in the new microenvironment. While this is no substitute for proper toothbrushing and flossing daily, it will help to decrease the acid by increasing salivary flow to bring your oral pH back to neutral and have a deleterious effect on the bacteria that cause tooth decay, mainly Streptococcus Mutans.

Tip 3.

Another Acid reducing tactic: Swishing and rinsing your teeth and mouth with water several times a day will reduce the build up of acid and decrease the build up of the plaque that destroys your teeth. This can be done anywhere as drinking water is an acceptable activity in almost any situation. Just remember to swish around all your teeth before you swallow.