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Are Diet Drinks Bad for Teeth?

First, let’s answer this question:  What causes cavities?  The answer in the simplest terms is acids.  The longer explanation is this.  Bacteria adhere to your teeth (plaque).  The bacteria then use the sugar you consume and create acids.  The acids eat away at your teeth and form holes.  The cycle continues as the bacteria bore their way deeper and deeper into the teeth.

What is the main thing the bacteria need to thrive?  Sugar.

So are diet drinks also bad for teeth?  Most diet drinks do not contain sugar.  They use some form or another of artificial sweetener.  The good news is that cavity-causing bacteria cannot metabolize these sweeteners to form acids.  The bad news is, just like their “regular” counterparts, diet drinks are extremely acidic in themselves.  Again, what causes cavities?  Acids!  And so, even though the typical path of cavity formation (bacteria eats sugar, releases acids, forms holes in teeth) is not followed as much, these drinks can just bypass the bacteria step and eat away at your teeth on their own.  Pathologically speaking, it is a different type of cavity with different attributes than that of a bacteria caused one.  However, in the big picture, it doesn’t really matter.  In both situations, tooth structure is eaten away and once it’s gone, it’s gone.

 

Drink more water.  There is nothing better!

Limit soft drinks, including diet soft drinks, to meal times.

At the very least, swish around with some water after consuming to remove some of it off your teeth.

"Keep 32" & The Secret to No Cavities

If you’ve watched the news in the past 24 hours, it’s possible you heard about a new dental product in development called “Keep 32” (a reference to the 32 permanent teeth).  The creators claim this molecule can be incorporated into toothpastes, mouthwashes, and candies and will kill Streptococcus Mutans, the main cavity-causing bacteria, in 60 seconds and keep the bacteria away for several hours.  There are many questions I have:  Does it function like an antibiotic?  Will it facilitate growth of resistant bacterial organisms? Can it reach difficult areas where these bacteria like to hide?  How will it affect the body?…Etc.  And so, I await the reports from professional studies where I hope many of my questions will be answered.  The idea of a “miracle molecule” for cavities sounds oh so sweet for dentist-fearing people across the globe. 

I want to tell you something though…some inside information from the dental world.  You don’t need a “miracle molecule” to stop cavities.  The solution already exists.  Here’s the secret:

Treat your body the way it was intended to be treated.

That’s all it takes.  Just like many other things, a little diet and excise goes a long way.

Diet:  Eat healthier, natural foods.  Stay away from sugary foods and drinks.  Minimize processed foods.  Drink lots and lots of water.  Take time and analyze your diet. 

Exercise:  Brush and floss your teeth thoroughly twice a day.

I'm not at all against new products that will help combat tooth decay.  Dentistry is heading in a very exciting direction.  The point is:  tooth decay is a very preventable disease, now.  You have the power to stop it right now.  You don't need an antibiotic.  Step up.  Make a change.  It's better for your whole body, not just your teeth.

Stop Smoking!

Plain and simple, quit smoking and you’ll reduce your risk for:

• Oral Cancer
• Dental Cavities
• Periodontal Disease
• Bone Loss
• Delayed Healing Responses
• Bad Breath
• ...and a long list of other systemic issues that you'd probably rather not deal with.

3 Steps to Fresher Breath

Step 1:  Purchase a TONGUE SCRAPER.  You can pick one up at any store that sells toothbrushes and such.
Step 2:  Brush AND floss.
Step 3:  Use the tongue scraper mentioned in "Step 1" to clean the back of your tongue DAILY.
 

We brush our teeth daily, but why do we not clean our tongues daily too?

Although bad breath can be caused by other factors such as diet, stomach/throat issues, systemic conditions, etc., the vast majority of the time it is caused by oral bacteria primarily on the back of the tongue.  This bacteria needs to be physically removed.  Mouth rinse will not wash it away.

Do you have bad breath?  Test yourself.  Take a spoon and use it to scrape the very back portion of your tongue. Then smell it.  This is probably how your breath smells to others.

For a more in depth look at obtaining fresher breath, look here:  How Fresh Is Your Breath?

Once It's Gone, It's Gone

This past weekend I celebrated a big birthday.  Birthdays always make me reflect on time, past and present.  People say to live your life to the fullest because time is something that you will never get back.  As a dentist, I would like to point out something else that you never get back….teeth.  Once a cavity eats away at your tooth, you can never get that part of tooth back.  Sure you can restore it with a filling or crown, but man’s imitation will never be as good as the original masterpiece.  Likewise, once a permanent tooth is lost, it’s gone for good.

It breaks my heart when I see young people with lots of cavities.  As much as we try to help them understand, it seems in most cases they still fail to realize the finality of lost tooth structure and the fact that they will NEVER get back what they lost.

Tooth decay is a tragic, worldwide disease…yes, disease…that’s what it is.  What makes it tragic, is that it is preventable.  Preventing tooth decay really boils down to just time and attention.  Paying attention to your eating and drinking habits.  Paying attention to your hygiene habits.  Taking time to do things the right way.  These simple things can prevent one of the world’s most common diseases.

I wish I understood this concept at a younger age.  I too have lost a good amount of tooth structure that I will never get back.

Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Are You Prepared for a Dental Emergency?

Most people have a medical first aid kit at home, but very few have a dental first aid kit in case a dental emergency occurs.  Dental emergencies can be an alarming and painful situation.  Here are some items worth collecting to create a dental first aid kit:

Latex (or latex-free) medical exam gloves – Now you can touch without contaminating.

Dental mirror – This aids in visualizing areas difficult to see.

Floss and toothpicks – Sometimes severe pain can be caused simply by food becoming stuck along the gums or between teeth. 

Gauze and  a Tea bag – Use this with applied pressure to any lacerations to help stop bleeding.  Placing a damp tea bag on the area will also help stop bleeding.

Wax – Braces and broken teeth can be very sharp and irritate the gums.  Place wax over the sharp areas for relief.

Temporary filling material – If a filling breaks out or there is a hole in a tooth, a temporary filling material can be placed.  Most contain eugenol which helps soothe the nerve of the tooth in case of a toothache or sensitivity.

Temporary cement – This is used to glue a crown back on.

Save-A-Tooth kit – This is a “tooth-friendly” solution to store a tooth that has been knocked out, while you make your way to the dentist.  It greatly increases the chances of a tooth being saved.  SaveATooth.com

Oral anesthetic gel – There are many brands out there such as Orajel and Orabase.  Do not use on young children, as there is a risk for methemoglobinemia, a potentially serious blood complication.  It can be used safely on older children and adults.

Quantum Canker Covers – This is a patch that forms a barrier over a canker sore (mouth ulcer).  It soothes the area and promotes much quicker healing. Quantum Canker Covers

Most of these items can be purchased at your local drug store.  If you cannot find them there, they are all available on-line. 

With any dental emergency, be sure to contact your dentist.

The Impact of Sugary Drinks on Heart Health

Published in the lastest Academy of General Dentistry journal:

“Researchers at Havard University found that men who consume one 12-ounce, sugar-sweetened drink every day have a 20 percent increased risk of heart attack than those who do not drink these sugar-laden treats.  Further, this risk increases to 42 and 69 percent with two and three sugary drinks per day, respectively.”  (AGD May 2012, Vol. 40, No. 5, p12)

Sports Drinks

I have found myself partaking in many more sporting activities as the weather has warmed up.  Because of this, I have also found myself consuming a higher amount of Sports Drinks to quench my thirst.

 While sports drinks can replenish some fluids and minerals to the body, they should be consumed with caution.  Most sports drinks contain heavy sugar content and are also quite acidic (pH 3-4), which may lead to dental erosion and demineralization.  

Frequent drinking during exercise is the best protection against net fluid loss. But the Stephan Curve also shows that frequent drinking (other than water) prolongs the period of time that the pH within the mouth remains below the critical value of 5.5. pH values fluctuate within the mouth throughout the day.  When the value drops below 5.5, demineralization occurs.  The longer it remains below 5.5, the greater the amount of demineralization.  Also, this risk can be compounded even more if saliva production is decreased, like it typically is during heavy physical activity and dehydration.

Are sports drinks bad?  Not necessarily, but steps should be taken to minimize their potential harm:

• Hydrate early.  Drink plenty of water prior to exercising in order to minimize dehydration
• Drink mostly water.  Do not reach for a sports drink every time you need to grab a couple sips to quench your thirst.  Every time you sip on a sports drink, the pH slips back below the crucial level.
• Swish with some water after drinking a swig of sports drink.  This will at least rinse some of the sugar away and dilute the acid.
•  If you are going to drink a sports drink, then drink it down in over a small period of time.  Drinking 10 20oz sports drinks over the course of a couple minutes is much less harmful to your teeth than drinking a small cup of one over the course of an hour.  How this makes sense.

Secondhand Smoke and Periodontal Disease

Studies have long-since proved a strong correlation between smoking and gum disease.  However, researchers at the University of North Carolina have concluded that exposure to secondhand smoke for a few hours a day “can double a person's risk of severe periodontal disease.”  Periodontal disease is not the only ill-effect of smoking.  It is only a matter of time before studies prove a correlation between secondhand smoke and the rest of the dangers that come along with smoking.

Are you exposed to secondhand smoke on a regular basis?  Are you exposing others to secondhand smoke regularly?

It is no secret that smoking has some devastating effects on the entire body.  From a dental perspective, here are some problems tobacco causes on just the mouth alone:

Discoloration of teeth

Bad breath

Gum recession

Bone loss

Tooth loss

Loss of taste

Sores in the mouth

Wrinkling around the mouth

ORAL CANCER

What's In Toothpaste?

Toothpastes can be made up of different “ingredients”; however the two main must-have ingredients are:

1. Fluoride
2. Abrasives

Fluoride is crucial because it provides the restoring capability to toothpaste. Fluoride incorporates itself into the teeth’s enamel. This strengthens the teeth, making them more resistant to decay. Also, the fluoride helps restore areas of demineralized enamel in early stage cavities.

The abrasives are what actually clean the teeth. Tooth plaque is sticky and must be physically removed. This is what the abrasives do. They provide “grit” so plaque can be scrubbed away. Abrasives are usually in the form of calcium carbonates, calcium phosphates, or another similar compound.

Other toothpaste ingredients can include:

Peroxides (some whitening toothpastes contain this)

Potassium Nitrate (contained in sensitivity toothpastes)

Surfactants (creates the foaming action to help spread the paste around)

Flavoring agents

Sweeteners (such as xylitol)

Preservatives

The Mouth to Body Connection

Microscopic view of bacteria on used floss

Photo Credit: Steve Gshmeissner/Sciene Photo Library

Plain and simple....if you don't floss, this is what is happening:

Bacteria forms colonies in the mouth.

The body begins a defensive inflammatory response.

Periodontal disease develops. (Gingivitis is periodontal disease. Do your gums bleed?)

This is chronic condition of infection and inflammation in the mouth.

This causes increased bacterial contamination and inflammation in other areas of the body.

There is now an increased risk of many systemic diseases.
(Examples: atherosclerosis, diabetic complications, respiratory disease, pregnancy complications,...and many more)

Flossing is not just about helping your teeth out. It affects your whole body and life.

How Much Sugar Is in a Coke?

1 20 oz bottle of Coca-Cola has 65g of sugar.

1 teaspoon = 4.2 g of sugar


Put a little over 15 spoonfuls of sugar in a glass. That's how much sugar is in a Coke.

For those wondering, a 12 oz can of Coke contains 39g sugar (a little over 9 spoonfuls of sugar)

A Spoonful of Sugar Helps.....Nothing

It is no secret that a high-sugar diet can lead to some devastating results for your teeth. Did you also know that sugar could negatively affect more than just your teeth? Here are just a few examples:

Sugar suppresses your immune system. Do you get sick often?

Sugar contributes to obesity.

Sugar contributes to diabetes. Diabetes prevalence is growing at an alarming rate.

Sugar contributes to cardiovascular disease.

Sugar has been linked to many forms of cancer.

Sugar intake can contribute to psychological disorders.

Sugar can decrease learning capacity.

Sugar disrupts normal bowel function.

Sugar has been linked to neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

This is by no means a complete list. More and more studies are coming to term and revealing alarming effects of sugar. The scary thing is that we are consuming more of it than we realize. Sugar is not just in sodas, cookies, and cakes. My wife and I recently partook in a diet in which no sugar was allowed. I was shocked to learn of all the normal and even “healthy” foods that I was not able to eat because of their sugar content.

The bottom line is that most of us cannot (and don’t want to) avoid sugar all together. We can, however, take a more proactive role in our health. Examine your diet. Educate yourself about what you are eating. Most likely, you will make some “eye-opening” discoveries, just like I did. Does that list above raise any flags in your mind? Are there some easy changes you can make?