What’s My Personal Cavity Risk?

This article may be able to give you a good idea…

How at risk are your teeth for decay? It’s a good question to ask yourself.

By considering the factors below, you’ll be able to get a good sense of how susceptible (or not susceptible) your smile is to cavity destruction.

Assessing Your Oral Hygiene Habits

How well would you say you stick to a diligent daily oral care routine? Before you assume the best, know that a proper oral hygiene regimen includes brushing twice a day for two full minutes each time, and never going a day without flossing. And aside from at-home care, you should plan to see your dentist and hygienist for a vital check-up and cleaning visit biannually.

If you’ve been doing this, then that’s great! Keep it up. If not, you might now have a better idea about what you should be doing differently.

Assess Your Eating Habits

How healthy would you consider your diet? What you may consider to be healthy for your body may not necessarily also be the healthiest for your smile. For example, certain acidic fruits such as oranges and grapefruit can be a threat to your precious tooth enamel if consumed regularly.

And of course, a diet full of sugary sweets will amp up anyone’s cavity risk. It’s important to note that it’s the number of sugar exposure instances that has the largest influence on your risk – so if you’re going to indulge in some candy or dessert item, try to eat it along with your meal rather than as an in-between snack on its own.

The healthiest foods for a smile include dairy products such as cheese, milk, and unsweetened yogurt, quinoa, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, beans, veggies, almonds and meat.

Assess Your Family History/ Risk

It’s unfortunate but true: your genes can play a role in how susceptible your smile is to cavities. So if your parents have many fillings in their mouths, this might raise your personal risk.

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