If you randomly polled a few people on the street and asked them to name a few factors that cause tooth decay, most would tell you that a high-sugar diet and poor oral hygiene will cause cavities. While this is true, in reality, there are more causes for cavities and tooth damage that most people are not aware of. These are some of the surprising factors that could compromise the health of your teeth and expose them to cavities.
White wine
If you’re in the habit of drowning down a glass of white wine after a long day, this piece of dental advice may change what you do after the drink.
Logically, red wine may seem like the worst enemy to pearly white teeth but it turns out that white wine would cause tooth staining. The tannins and acids in white wine make the surface of your teeth rough causing porousness to the teeth making them prone to cavities. If you take some coffee or eat something right after taking wine, you run the risk of staining your teeth. The remedy is to rinse your mouth with water after the drink to neutralize the wine’s acidity.
Grinding teeth while sleeping
Years of clenching and grinding teeth while asleep can cause tooth damage. Since grinding often happens when one is asleep, most people aren’t aware of this habit. A great tell sign is usually a sore jaw when you wake up often accompanied by a dull and constant headache. Although stress can cause teeth grinding, the most likely cause is crooked teeth causing an abnormal bite or missing teeth.
The remedy for this problem is to solve the root problem. If it’s a missing tooth, for instance, the best thing is to consider modern tooth replacement options such as dental implants. Left unattended, chronic tooth grinding may result in fracturing, loosening, and loss of teeth.
Excessive contact with certain chemicals
Frequent contact with certain chemicals can ruin your enamel, provoke tooth sensitivity or stain the teeth. Some of the chemicals include BPA (an ingredient of most canned foods), chlorine, chemicals in teeth whitening strips and antibiotics. Although exposure to some of these substances is unavoidable, awareness will help you moderate how often you expose your teeth to these chemicals.
Laser cavity detection will identify cavities that conventional methods would easily fail to diagnose. To detect cavities early with our laser cavity detection contact us at Westmoreland Dental Group to set up your appointment.