Table of contents:
- Tips to prevent acid buildup that causes cavities in the mouth
- Drink water
- Don't leave the sugar in your mouth for too long
- Healthy diet
- Rinse mouth with
- Steps to maintain oral health
The COVID-19 pandemic requires many people to move at home. This can affect the eating habits of some people due to stress and uncertain conditions. Some people turn to comfort food or foods that make a person feel calm after eating them. These types of dishes are generally sweet or high in carbohydrates. Both types of food also cause acids that cause cavities in the mouth. Therefore, let's prevent the buildup of acid so that it is free from dental and mouth disease.
Tips to prevent acid buildup that causes cavities in the mouth
Problems in the teeth and mouth are caused by bad bacteria. Bad bacteria "work" best when the acidity (pH) in the mouth is low. Food or drink comfort food, such as high carbohydrate foods and sugary drinks can reduce this acidity.
When the acidity level is below 5.6, these bad bacteria become easier to grow and cause cavities in the teeth. Check out easy tips for fighting bad bacteria so as not to interfere with oral health.
Drink water
If the pH level is low when it is below 5.6, then what is the acidity level that doesn't harm teeth and gums? The average acidity level in the mouth is 6.7 to 7.3. The degree of acidity in the mouth is controlled by saliva.
Thus, you can prevent the buildup of acid that causes cavities in your mouth if you drink water regularly. Drinking enough water will keep you hydrated while ensuring enough saliva production to fight bad bacteria in your mouth.
The saliva that is produced protects the teeth from erosion caused by acids. Water also generally has a neutral level of acidity. That way, the level of acidity in the mouth is maintained if you drink enough water.
Don't leave the sugar in your mouth for too long
The sugar that is consumed will turn into energy. This process requires the help of enzymes in the mouth. When converting sugar into energy, this process creates acid. Therefore, do not let sweet foods or drinks that are consumed too long in the mouth. The acid that is present causes the teeth to lose the substances needed to protect the teeth and thus causes cavities in the mouth.
Healthy diet
Eating a balanced diet can help maintain overall health. Foods with balanced nutrition maintain your health while making you full, so you can reduce the habit of eating snacks between meals. If you want to eat sweet foods and drinks, do it during meal times.
Then, it's hard not to really enjoy snacks. However, you can limit the consumption of foods and drinks that cause acid in the mouth. Don't forget to drink water after consuming a snack to prevent acid buildup that causes cavities in the mouth.
Rinse mouth with
In addition to drinking water to maintain acidity, mouthwash can also be used to maintain acidity.
According to the results of a study entitled Neutralizing Salivary pH by Mouthwashes After an Acidic Challenge, rinsing the mouth using a mouthwash made from essential oil extracts (thymol, methyl salicylate, menthol, and eucalyptol) is very influential in increasing the pH of saliva and helps reduce 99.9% of germs that cause bad breath. , reduce plaque and gum problems.
As a result, using mouthwash to rinse the mouth can neutralize the acidity level and reduce the duration of the protective layer of the teeth (enamel) being exposed to acids so that dental health is maintained.
Simply put, it can help acidity levels return to a reasonable level thereby reducing the buildup of acid that causes cavities in the mouth.
Steps to maintain oral health
Maintaining acidity helps protect teeth from bad bacteria. In addition, the following things also help maintain oral health:
- Brush your teeth at least 2 times a day
- Flossing tooth
- Complete the rinse with mouthwash /antiseptic mouthwash
- Regular treatment to the dentist
Another step that can help get rid of oral and dental problems, such as swollen gums or bad breath is to gargle with an antiseptic mouthwash. Evaluation results show antiseptic mouthwash helps protect the mouth from plaque and gum problems. Therefore, it is better to start gargling with antiseptic medicine so that your teeth and mouth stay healthy and prevent acid buildup that causes cavities in the mouth.
