The Importance of a Healthy Smile
A bright and beautiful smile plays a key role in your life. A great smile can transform how you look. Having strong teeth is just as important as a healthy smile. But don’t despair if your pearly whites aren’t as radiant as you’d like them to be. White teeth may appear healthy, but weak enamel can still wreak havoc on your oral health.
What is Tooth Enamel?
Tooth enamel is a protective, slightly translucent outer layer of the teeth, and it gets thinner as people age. It’s the hardest substance in the human body, even stronger than bone. In spite of its strength, once damaged, it cannot re-grow or regenerate, so it’s really important to protect the enamel to maintain a healthy white smile.
How Enamel Protects Your Teeth
Enamel acts as the first line of defense against tooth decay. Tooth enamel takes a lot of abuse from the acids formed by cavity-causing bacteria. Mostly, enamel damage is caused by acidic corrosion. Acid erosion is responsible for the loss of the precious tooth enamel, exposing the yellower dentine layer, which makes the teeth appear yellow and dull.
Foods and Drinks That Damage Enamel
Fermentable carbohydrates, found in breakfast cereals, breads, soft drinks, candy, cookies, and other starchy foods, form harmful and dangerous acids on your teeth. When combined with bacteria, those acids start to break down the enamel and demineralise the enamel over time. This, “demineralisation,” literally eats away the minerals naturally produced in your enamel.
How Saliva Protects Your Enamel
Saliva plays a key role in keeping teeth healthy and strong. Not only does it increase the health of body tissues, but it also protects enamel by coating the teeth in protective calcium and other minerals. It maintains the pH levels in your mouth, which helps reduce acid production.
Tips for Maintaining Strong Enamel
Keeping your teeth healthy will help keep your tooth enamel strong. By being proactive, you will be able to enjoy your teeth for your entire life. Apart from visiting your dentist regularly, the following tips will help keep your enamel healthy:
Get rid of acidic and sugary drinks!
Limit your snacking! Excessive sugars will accumulate on your teeth and promote bacterial growth.
Chew sugar-free gum! Gum chewing increases saliva production, which is good for your teeth.
Be sure to drink water! Water keeps your mouth from drying out.
Brush your teeth! Toothpaste with fluoride strengthens enamel through a process called remineralisation.
Summary
While these changes don’t come overnight, they are certainly worth the time and effort, both for the sake of your smile and your overall health.
