Salt is an important ingredient in many of your favorite foods. From bringing out the flavors in meats and vegetables to kicking up the sweetness in your favorite treats, it’s undeniable how much of a staple this seasoning is. You may know that sugar can have adverse effects on your pearly whites, but what about salt? Continue reading to learn about the impact of salt on your smile.
How Salt Can Boost Your Oral Health
When salt is mixed with water, it can be beneficial to your gums and teeth. To make a salt water rinse, add ½ a teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water. Rinsing with this mixture can benefit your beam in several ways, including:
- Sore treatment – Swishing salt water around in your mouth can help get rid of harmful germs and bacteria, which may decrease inflammation.
- Mouth wound care – Salt water rinses can help heal wounds in the mouth since it helps fight bacteria and draws out excess fluid from canker sores.
- pH Restoration – Salt can help balance the pH levels in your mouth, which makes it difficult for abrasive bacteria to survive by making the environment more alkaline.
How Salt Can Hurt Your Smile
While doing a salt rinse can benefit your mouth, the same can’t be said for a salty diet. In fact, eating this way often causes oral health problems, like cavities. One reason is that high-salt foods tend to be full of carbohydrates. These foods break down into sugar in the mouth, which feeds the harmful bacteria that cause cavities.
Additionally, excessive sodium intake can also weaken your teeth and bones. This is because consuming a salty diet increases calcium loss through urine. Since calcium is a key mineral for healthy teeth, this loss can be devastating to both your overall and oral health.
How to Get the Most from Sodium
Thankfully, it isn’t that difficult to get the right amount of salt for your smile. Be sure to limit your intake of high-sodium foods. This will help lower your risk of tooth decay by taking away a food source from cavity-causing bacteria.
Additionally, do a salt water rinse every once in a while. This will help relieve any pain you’re feeling in your mouth, combat harmful bacteria, and will also lower your chances of developing an oral infection. Swish the salt water solution around in your mouth for around 30 seconds, spit, and repeat as needed.
About the Practice
Bell Road Dental Care treats those living in Phoenix and the surrounding communities with the compassionate, effective, and efficient treatments they need to maintain healthy, happy, and brag-worthy beams. Additionally, they can teach you about how different foods affect your smile, such as the impact of salt on your beam. Do you want to set up an appointment or to get more information on their services? If so, visit Bell Road Dental Care’s website or call them at (602) 404-3483.