Do You Have a Drinking Problem?

By Kent Smith DDS -- The Irving Journal

When you awoke this morning, there were roughly one billion bacteria taking up residence inside your mouth. Did you notice? Probably. If you brushed your teeth and tongue enough to make your dentist proud, that would leave about 400 million. Add some flossing and the number drops to a palatable 80 to 200 million. You can spit now.

What activity do these guys sign up for when day camp dawns? Acid production! They get their aerobic exercise by creating this acid within 30 seconds of consuming any sugar. Not to be outdone, the citizens of the 21st century have found a way to speed up this process. We drink acid straight out of the can or bottle.

The average American drank more than 53 gallons of soft drinks in 2000, and one fifth of all 1- to 2-year old children drink sodas. Even more drink fruit juices, which can often contain a higher concentration of acid than soft drinks. (Through several years of research, we have provided a table on our web site at www.21stCenturyDental.com/smith/pH_drinks.htm that details which beverages are more harmful, and which ones would be kinder to your teeth.) Add sport drinks, which can also have a low pH, and American consumption has increased 500% in the last 50 years. So what?

“Acid attacks” from these drinks last up to 20 minutes, and the next sip starts the process again. Enamel, which is an extremely hard substance is weakened and becomes susceptible to decay.

Have you ever noticed your teeth feeling slightly rough as you rub them together after having a coke or Gatorade? They have been slightly etched by the phosphoric acid contained in the drink. Carbonation adds yet more acidity, as the carbon dioxide creates carbonic acid in solution.

There are three critical factors that play a part in acid’s attack on your teeth via liquids.

Acidity – The lower the pH, the more harmful. Because the pH scale is logarithmic, a one unit change in pH is associated with a 10 fold change in the acidity. For example, lemon juice has a pH of 2.0, while grapefruit juice has a pH of 3.0. Lemon juice would therefore be 10 times as acidic as grapefruit juice. Even more enlightening, Coke Classic is roughly 100 times as acidic as Barq's root beer.
Frequency – Feel free to drink a Dr. Pepper every once in a while, but when it becomes a habit, you are living dangerously “by the skin of your teeth”.
Exposure time – The more 20-minute sessions (called “cavity moments”) your teeth are exposed; the more likely you are to develop problems. Stop sipping.

If you spilled a coke on your new car, how quickly would you rinse it off? Your enamel deserves even more care, as it can not be replaced when the lease is up. Destruction can actually occur with only slight acidity, defined as having a pH of around 5.0. The lower the pH, the more destructive the solution can be. Care to know what popular drink is the most acidic? It ranks slightly better than battery acid.

A soda or sport drink can be quite tasty, but here are a few more things to keep in mind.

After drinking, rinse your mouth with water to dilute the acid and sugars present.
Do not brush your teeth with an abrasive toothpaste immediately after drinking. This can sweep away your etched enamel before it has a chance to rehydrate, causing an increase in tooth sensitivity.
Read labels or see the table on our web site. Diet soft drinks can be just as destructive as their counterparts, due to their acidity.
Use a fluoride toothpaste to remove bacterial buildup and seal the enamel tubules.

Kent Smith is a dentist in Las Colinas with 21st Century Dental, and can be reached through his web site at www.21stCenturyDental.com or at 972.255.3712

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	Dental Professionals		Do You Have a Drinking Problem? By Kent Smith DDS -- The Irving Journal When you awoke this morning, there were roughly one billion bacteria taking up residence inside your mouth. Did you notice? Probably. If you brushed your teeth and tongue enough to make your dentist proud, that would leave about 400 million. Add some flossing and the number drops to a palatable 80 to 200 million. You can spit now. What activity do these guys sign up for when day camp dawns? Acid production! They get their aerobic exercise by creating this acid within 30 seconds of consuming any sugar. Not to be outdone, the citizens of the 21st century have found a way to speed up this process. We drink acid straight out of the can or bottle. The average American drank more than 53 gallons of soft drinks in 2000, and one fifth of all 1- to 2-year old children drink sodas. Even more drink fruit juices, which can often contain a higher concentration of acid than soft drinks. (Through several years of research, we have provided a table on our web site at www.21stCenturyDental.com/smith/pH_drinks.htm that details which beverages are more harmful, and which ones would be kinder to your teeth.) Add sport drinks, which can also have a low pH, and American consumption has increased 500% in the last 50 years. So what? “Acid attacks” from these drinks last up to 20 minutes, and the next sip starts the process again. Enamel, which is an extremely hard substance is weakened and becomes susceptible to decay. Have you ever noticed your teeth feeling slightly rough as you rub them together after having a coke or Gatorade? They have been slightly etched by the phosphoric acid contained in the drink. Carbonation adds yet more acidity, as the carbon dioxide creates carbonic acid in solution. There are three critical factors that play a part in acid’s attack on your teeth via liquids. Acidity – The lower the pH, the more harmful. Because the pH scale is logarithmic, a one unit change in pH is associated with a 10 fold change in the acidity. For example, lemon juice has a pH of 2.0, while grapefruit juice has a pH of 3.0. Lemon juice would therefore be 10 times as acidic as grapefruit juice. Even more enlightening, Coke Classic is roughly 100 times as acidic as Barq's root beer. Frequency – Feel free to drink a Dr. Pepper every once in a while, but when it becomes a habit, you are living dangerously “by the skin of your teeth”. Exposure time – The more 20-minute sessions (called “cavity moments”) your teeth are exposed; the more likely you are to develop problems. Stop sipping. If you spilled a coke on your new car, how quickly would you rinse it off? Your enamel deserves even more care, as it can not be replaced when the lease is up. Destruction can actually occur with only slight acidity, defined as having a pH of around 5.0. The lower the pH, the more destructive the solution can be. Care to know what popular drink is the most acidic? It ranks slightly better than battery acid. A soda or sport drink can be quite tasty, but here are a few more things to keep in mind. After drinking, rinse your mouth with water to dilute the acid and sugars present. Do not brush your teeth with an abrasive toothpaste immediately after drinking. This can sweep away your etched enamel before it has a chance to rehydrate, causing an increase in tooth sensitivity. Read labels or see the table on our web site. Diet soft drinks can be just as destructive as their counterparts, due to their acidity. Use a fluoride toothpaste to remove bacterial buildup and seal the enamel tubules. Kent Smith is a dentist in Las Colinas with 21st Century Dental, and can be reached through his web site at www.21stCenturyDental.com or at 972.255.3712 Back to Education and News



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Dental Professionals

Do You Have a Drinking Problem?

By Kent Smith DDS -- The Irving Journal