Acidic Drinks Lead to Permanent Damage?

If your kids are addicted to their energy drinks, sodas, sports drinks, or even fruit juices, they may be doing irreversible damage to their teeth. The high acidity levels in these drinks may be doing more harm than once thought, studies show.

A research group in Australia has found that permanent damage to the tooth’s enamel is done within 30 seconds of the acid coming into contact with the teeth. It’s no longer a matter of having your child rinse or brush within an hour or 30 minutes, the damage is already done.

The mouth is typically in a balance between acid and protective mechanisms, but once the acid takes over, the teeth and enamel become damaged. And that highly acidic environment combined with other unhealthy factors can lead to damage to your kids’ teeth.

If they grind their teeth, have untreated gingivitis, suffer from acid reflux, or forget to floss – these all combine with acidic drinks into a powerhouse of long-term tooth damage.

The researchers claim that dental erosion caused by acidic drinks is on the rise in kids and teens. And, in most cases, can only be detected after other extensive tooth wear has already occurred. The dental erosion caused by acidic drinks can lead to a lifetime of compromised dental health that can cost time and money and happiness down the line. But it’s easily preventable now – nix the acidic drinks.

If you have any questions about dental erosion and the damages of acidic liquids on your enamel, be sure to ask your friendly Valencia dentist today. 

Good News for Sensitive Teeth

If you are one of the many people who suffer from sensitive teeth, you may be in luck. Scientists are on their way to developing a new biomaterial that can rebuild broken and worn enamel, reducing your tooth sensitivity for an extended period of time.

Sensitive teeth are caused by a number of different things, but can all be linked to an exposure of dentin. In healthy teeth, your tooth’s dentin is protected by the hardy enamel layer. When that is damaged or worn, it allows external things to reach the nerve-filled dentin, which causes the uncomfortable twinge of pain.
Some common things that contribute to tooth sensitivity are: a buildup of plaque eating away at your enamel, gum disease and gingivitis, grinding and wearing down your teeth causing the enamel to fracture, brushing too hard, or letting dental decay go untreated.

Most treatments on the market, including sealants and toothpastes, are effective, but do not stand up to the everyday wear-and-tear that your teeth go through. The scientists have found a longer lasting option for you. They made a concoction based on the elements found naturally in your teeth, mainly calcium and phosphorus, and created a paste. The paste is applied directly to your teeth, and plugs up tubes and other enamel deficiencies more deeply that traditional methods. This allows the paste to potentially repair the worn enamel while blocking outside agents from getting to your dentin. Since the paste goes so deep in your tooth, it is also longer lasting.

As of right now, the paste has only been tested on dogs with promising results. But if you are suffering today from tooth sensitivity, be sure to talk to your friendly Valencia dentist about your current options. There are many effective treatments, and with your Valencia dentist, your thedentist.com.
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The Pros and Cons of Fillings

Fillings are a very common occurrence in the dentistry world, unfortunately. They are the easy, affordable go-to treatment option for broken, worn, or decayed teeth. But depending on the tooth, its damage, and its function, several different types of filling materials may be used. Your friendly Valencia dentist is here to help you understand your options.

Silver fillings, aka amalgams, are the most common. There are typically less expensive than composite fillings, are strong enough to endure chewing forces, and typically last between 10 and 15 years, much longer than composite fillings.

However, they have their drawbacks. They are not tooth colored, standing out in your mouth. They can even stain neighboring enamel, casting a grayish tint. It requires a lot of space in the tooth, so extra, healthy tissue may have to be removed in order to fill. And due to the tight squeeze, the amalgam may crack or fracture the tooth when it naturally expands and contracts due to heat and cold. And an unlucky 1% of people are allergic to the mercury lingering in the amalgam.

Cast gold fillings do not corrode. They are also strong enough to endure chewing forces, and typically last between 10 and 15 years. Some people may find the gold color more alluring than the silver of the amalgam fillings.

However, the gold is not cheap; it can cost up to 10 times more than the silver amalgams. They also must be installed in at least two separate office visits. And they run the very rare risk of galvanic shock: if the gold filling is placed next to an amalgam filling, the mixture of saliva with the metals can cause an electric current, causing a painful shock.

Tooth-colored composite fillings are better suited for your face teeth. They are matched to the same color as your existing teeth and blend in perfectly. The composite chemically bonds with your tooth, creating durability and versatility, ranging from cavity fillings to chipped tooth repair.

However, composite fillings typically only last for 5 years, and cannot withstand as much pressure as their metallic counterparts. They are not as cheap as amalgam fillings, either, but still cost less than gold. And they take longer than the other materials to fill, sometimes requiring more than one visit.

So you have many options when you are faced with a cavity. Be sure to discuss your options with your friendly Valencia dentist - Go Dental at your next appointment.

Strawberries and Baking Soda for Whiter Teeth?

Thinking about ditching your dentist and whitening strips for the organic alternatives that YouTubers and “experts” suggest? Combining healthy, organic strawberries and all-natural baking soda into a pasteto smear over your teeth is supposed to whiten and brighten your smile. But you might want to thinkagain.

Associate professor and dental researcher So Ran Kwon at the University of Iowa decided to take these claims, along with other natural remedies and existing prescribed whitening products, and put them all to the test.

Kwon’s findings confirm that the only benefit of these all-natural fruit and baking soda concoctions is the removal of plaque and surface stains. Currently, the sole way to get the lasting, deeper whitening is through prescription treatments and over-the-counter whitening strips.

The experiment consisted of Professor Kwon rubbing the mixture of organic strawberries and baking soda on 20 freshly extracted teeth for five minutes, then followed by a gentle brushing. This was repeated three times a day for a span of 10 days.

Three other sets of extracted teeth were subjected to the same routine, but using a prescription whitening regimen, and also common whitening strips. The results: the strawberry mixture only provided cleaning, but no actual whitening. Professor Kwon says that the strawberries (as well as apples and lemons, much to the chagrin of YouTubers) fail as effective tooth whiteners because they lack the essential chemicals, hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide, needed to penetrate the enamel and brighten from the inside.

In addition to failing to whiten, the fruit mixture have another pitfall. The fruits contain citric acid which actually reduces the surface hardness of the teeth, which can lead to more cavities and even tooth fractures.

If you are interested in whitening your teeth, ask your friendly Valencia dentist and not YouTube. Your dentist can whiten your teeth safely and effectively to give you lasting effects.