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Weak teeth are extremely inconvenient. When it comes to our dental health – most of us know which foods aren’t the best for our teeth, but we still consume the sweet, sugary, sticky, delicious treats anyway! That is totally fine, as long as we brush and floss and rinse and do the necessary ablutions after. Every time. 

But do we? 

Well, not all of us. But it is never too late to teach yourself a good habit. 

There are loads of dangers to the teeth and gums lurking in our everyday interactions with food, drink and other indulgences. Here is a list of these dangers, and perhaps, a way to avoid the damage they could cause. 

An acidic environment promoted weak teeth

Every time we eat that delicious starchy snack with a tall glass of soft drink or a piece of chocolate cake and a sweet cup of milky tea, it creates an acidic environment and feeds the already present bacteria in your mouth. A thin, sticky film of plaque forms and clings to all surfaces in the mouth and hardens eventually into tartar. This leads to gum disease, breaks down hard tooth enamel and causes tooth decay. In time all structures supporting your teeth, such as the gums and jaw bone, will be affected and you will be left with weak teeth. It is a dire situation to live in. 

Know your enemies

Every minute of the day, we turn our backs on sound health advice, for the sake of tasting interesting new flavours or for comfort from familiar tastes that conjure up childhood when aching souls could be soothed with some jelly babies or a Kit-Kat.

Life is short, they say, so we may as well live dangerously but let’s face facts, no-one wants to do so with a crippling toothache or stinky breath from a mouth full of rotten teeth.

So these are some of the weak teeth pitfalls to avoid:

• Dry mouth: Saliva is necessary to break down the food you eat and for cleansing the teeth between chews. Dry mouth can be caused by dehydration, drinking alcohol, taking medication and chewing on ice which also cracks tooth enamel. The American Dental Association says about 500 medications such as antihistamines and painkillers cause dry mouth. Without saliva productions, cavities will occur.
• Mouthguard needed: bruxism or grinding or clenching your teeth when you sleep can damage your teeth and jaw. Dentists can fit mouth guards for this condition. Mouthguards are also helpful if you play contact sports. 
• Acidic foods: Sugary and starchy foods ticks all the boxes when it comes to inadequate oral hygiene, with acid being culprit number 1. Popcorn, potato chips, white bread, soft chew sweets, chocolates under 70 % dark, dried fruit, lollipops, cough drops, caramel, decadent desserts and even too many citrus fruits like lemons and oranges produce too much acid that eats away at the tooth’s enamel. 
• Drinking acids: Sugary or sugar-free carbonated soft drink with phosphoric and citric acid preservatives, soda, juices with added sugar, alcohol – all of these are acidic time bombs wearing down teeth enamel. 
• Teeth aren’t scissors: Teeth shouldn’t be used to remove clothing tags, open plastic bags, biting or snapping off bottle caps. 
• Nicotine Products: And while in the business of using teeth as tools, gripping onto lit cigarettes isn’t a good idea either. Nicotine causes teeth to be yellow. Known carcinogens like cigarettes, pipe and chewing tobacco penetrate and lodge themselves in the mouth’s soft tissue, notably on the gums and tongue. This may eventually lead to oral cancer. 

Putting a stop to the rot

As much as we all inflict damage on our teeth, we all crave beautiful, shiny teeth that aren’t susceptible to tooth sensitivity that causes crippling pain right from your eye all the way to the spine with each sip of an ice-cool health smoothie. 

Dental Associations suggest the following must do’s:

• Brush teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
• Floss once a day
• Gently brush your tongue twice a day.
• Book a check-up and dental clean with your dentist twice a year
• Consider chewing a piece of sugar-free chewing gum, preferably with Xylitol, to stimulate saliva production that can flush out acid and food particles.
• Instead of sugary foods, eat a fresh, sweet piece of fruit.
• For remineralising teeth, eat fibre-rich fruit and vegetables that help keep teeth and gums clean.
• Fibre-rich foods also help saliva flow as this reduces the effects of acid and enzyme attack on your teeth. 
• Saliva, which contains calcium and phosphates, restores minerals to teeth which bacterial acids have destroyed.
• Stay hydrated, which helps with cleansing.

Every bit of advice given by dental experts helps because a healthy oral environment is the first line of defence for overall health and well-being. Many dental interventions can be pretty costly, though. So, having a dental insurer can really help you keep both your mouth and your bank account in good stead. 

Affinity Dental for weak teeth

Affinity Dental offers three different levels of dental insurance cover. All the tiers are available at various price points, and each of these options covers specific specialist work – all to varying degrees. 

Kids and grown-ups all need to visit the dentist at least once every six months. 

Dental insurance covers you for any additional treatments such as crowns, root canals or fillings, whether at the dentist or specialist practice.