How to Take Care of Your Dental Fillings

As a kid, we have always been told not to eat certain foods and avoid aerated drinks. Little did we pay attention to this and ended up having cavities. Cavities are the decay or break-down of a tooth caused by plaque. They may seem beyond repair, but everyone opts for dental fillings these days to solve the issue. Dental fillings, as the name suggests, fill up the decayed part of the tooth to stop the tooth from further damage. Usually, people think that this is THE solution, while that is not the case. Fillings rarely even last for a long time and require a lot of care and maintenance. Here are a few ways to take better care of your dental fillings:

Regular Check-Ups

Even though your dental fillings are in place and as much as you want to stay away from the clinic, visiting your dentist is a must. Visiting the dentist is only to ensure that you are aware of everything that is happening with your dental filling. You will also know way before it is already late, whether the dental filling is breaking or getting damaged due to some reason.

Brushing and Flossing

Medical experts do recommend that brushing should be done twice a day and flossing at least once. While this seems like a task, you only have to put in four to six minutes of your day into doing this. Dental fillings will have the residue of the food and drinks stuck to them that could eventually lead to damages. Brushing is the most basic way to prevent damage. Make sure you know and follow the right way to brush your teeth.

Avoid Certain Foods and Drinks

You will need to avoid foods that are hard to chew, while you can limit certain foods that are sugary and sticky. Instead, you can opt for healthier options like fruits, vegetables, sugar-free candies, etc. Tea and black coffee also help in avoiding decays but limit those too as they can easily stain your dental filling. Go for water over acidic or aerated drinks as well to keep your dental fillings in the best shape.

Don’t Use Tobacco

Smoking and consumption of tobacco in any form is harmful to the teeth. Not only do these have adverse effects on the body, but also these loosen the bond present in dental fillings. Tobacco weakens the dental filling and damages it too. Tobacco fastens the process of dental filling decay. Hence, tobacco consumption in any form.

Use Alcohol-free Therapeutic Mouthwashes

It is necessary that whatever item you consume is acid and alcohol-free. There are mouthwashes to control bad breath for a short period, while therapeutic mouthwashes help to control plaque, bad breath, tooth decay and much more. Mouthwashes are another easy-to-do method that is effective in preventing dental fillings from any further corrosion.

These are a few ways of damage control for the dental fillings, but you must conform to them. One should be rational when it comes to taking care of their health and hygiene. Do not forget to have continuous check-ups with your dentist. If you think a cavity is on its way, contact a dental clinic immediately.