Hopefully, you already know the basics of taking care of your teeth.  In short, you need to brush them properly and visit the dentist regularly.  If, however, you really want to keep your teeth looking good for years to come, there are some extra steps you need to take.  With that in mind, here are three tips to take care of your teeth.

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Take care with fruit sugar

It’s obvious that foods with processed sugar are bad for your teeth.  Sometimes, however, it can be less obvious that you also need to be careful with fruit sugar.  Eating whole fruit (and sweet vegetables like carrots) is unlikely to be an issue.  There will be sugar in them, but it will be minimal.  It will also be counterbalanced by fiber.

Fruit (and vegetable) juice, however, are another matter.  These are often marketed as being healthy so you may not make the connection with sugar.  The healthiness of fruit juices depends partly on your point of view and partly on context.  

Fruit juices do tend to contain a lot of vitamins and minerals.  They do not, however, contain fiber.  If you consume them alongside a fiber-rich food (e.g. orange juice and breakfast cereal), you’re probably going to be fine.  Fruit juices on their own, however, are another matter.  Drink them in moderation if at all.

Be careful with acids

Another problem with fruit juices is that they also tend to contain acids.  These are natural acids.  They’re safe to consume in the sense that they won’t damage your insides the way commercial acids do.  They are not, however, good news for your teeth.  No acidic foods are.

Essentially, acids attack your teeth the same way they attack any other surface.  Over time, they can wear away the surface of your teeth to the point where you need dental snap on veneers to smile with confidence.  Treat acidic foods the same way you would treat sugary ones.  Consume them in moderation, if at all, preferably with a fiber-rich food. For more information on dental care, you can consult this reputable cosmetic dentist in San Antonio.

Protect your mouth during exercise

Exercise has all kinds of benefits for mind and body.  The key point is to exercise safely.  As a rule of thumb, indoor, non-contact activities are the safest of all.  Therefore, if your main priority is to avoid injury, these are, literally, your safest option.

That said, exercising outdoors can be hugely enjoyable even in fall and winter.  You do, however, need to take appropriate safety precautions.  In fall and winter, this will include making sure you have enough light to see and be seen.  It will also mean having suitable footwear so you have enough grip to be safe.

Realistically, you might find it best to keep outdoor exercise for when you are off work and can exercise in daylight.  Even then, you should be very careful about grip.  Slips, trips and falls are common sources of injury.  This generally means cuts, bruises and muscle injuries (which are bad enough).  It can, however, mean broken bones and teeth.

If you’re into contact sports then definitely invest in a proper athletic mouthguard.  These may not be particularly comfortable to wear but they are not particularly uncomfortable either.  They are definitely far more comfortable than emergency tooth surgery.