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Oral health: Brushing too soon after a meal can damage teeth
By Hope Gillette
When it comes to oral health, it is not always about when to brush your teeth – sometimes it’s about when not to. Brushing within half an hour of eating a meal or drinking soda can cause serious corrosion of dentin, the layer below a tooth’s enamel.
“With brushing, you could actually push the acid deeper into the enamel and the dentin,” said Dr. Howard R. Gamble, president of the Academy of General Dentistry.
Brushing your teeth within half an hour of eating a meal or drinking soda can cause serious corrosion of dentin, the layer below a tooth’s enamel.
Dentists recommend waiting 30 minutes to ideally an hour before brushing to prevent the spread of acid around surfaces of the mouth.
Research indicates teeth show noticeable signs of corrosion if they are brushed within 30 minutes of drinking an acidic soft drink. The acid demineralizes the teeth, essentially stripping them of their dentin, a process then aggravated by premature brushing.
Less acid wear occurred for study volunteers at the 30 and 60 minute post-soft drink time frame.
“However, after intra-oral periods of 30 and 60 minutes, wear was not significantly higher than in unbrushed controls. It is concluded that for protection of dentin surfaces at least 30 minutes should elapse before toothbrushing after an erosive attack,” wrote the study authors.
The waiting period allows your mouth to produce enough neutralizing saliva that fights off the acidity from foods and drinks, explains Dr. Peter Alldritt, chairman of the Australian Dental Association’s oral health committee.
“Saliva contains calcium and phosphate ions and teeth also contain these ions, so saliva acts as a reservoir of calcium and phosphate for your teeth,” he added. ”Saliva also contains enzymes and buffers which neutralize acid and return the pH of your mouth to neutral over time.”
Besides acidic food and soft drinks, the Mayo Clinic recommends following the same caution with:
<img class="size-full wp-image-76976" title="oral health" src="http://ionevoxxi.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/shutterstock_81582871.jpg?w=300&h=449" alt="oral health" width="300" height="449" />Brushing too soon after drinking wine, milk, soda or juices could damage your teeth. The acid demineralizes the teeth, essentially stripping them of their dentin, a process then aggravated by premature brushing.
“When you eat food or drink beverages containing sugar or starch, the bacteria in your mouth produce acids that can attack your tooth enamel for 20 minutes or more. Choosing nutritious foods that are low in carbohydrates and sugar and drinking plenty of water also can help reduce harmful acid production,” recommends Mayo Clinic’s Adam Carr, D.M.D.
To lessen the effects of acid in the mouth, Dr. Gamble recommends rinsing with water or a water-baking soda mixture after eating. A one part baking soda to 8 parts water mixture will neutralize acid lingering on oral surfaces.
Other ways to manage acid erosion include:
http://voxxi.com/2012/06/09/oral-health-brushing-teeth-damage/
Although I'm very surprised to see milk on caution list, I thought milk was good for teeth and was not acidic?
Reasons Why Soda Rots Your Teeth
by Suzanne Robin
Sugar isn't the only reason sodas damage your teeth.
The sugar in soda can damage your teeth, but sugar isn't the only culprit in the soda bottle -- and might not even be the most important one. Acids and preservatives in soda can also play a part in eroding tooth enamel, even if you drink diet sodas. Acids also lower the pH of saliva in your mouth, which allows bacteria to multiply on the surface of the teeth, causing erosion. Talk to your dentist about your risk of tooth enamel erosion.
How Soda Disturbs Tooth Enamel
Enamel hardens the outside of your teeth, protecting the dentin and pulp of the tooth from damage. Like any surface, enamel can wear down over time. Saliva performs essential functions in keeping tooth enamel strong. Calcium and phosphate particles in saliva help strengthen tooth enamel, according to Mayo Clinic. Saliva also washes away the acidic plaque that forms on tooth enamel and eats away at it. Soda contains acids such as phosphate and citric acid that weaken the tooth enamel.
Acid Effects
When the enamel weakens, bacterial plaque that forms on the teeth can reach the inner layers more easily, causing cavities. Sodas with high sugar content pack a one-two punch; first they weaken the enamel and then the high sugar content in the soda can easily penetrate into the tooth. Diet sodas weaken tooth enamel, allowing bacteria from other foods to easily damage the tooth. Teeth look different when the enamel is damaged. They no longer look as white; they might appear translucent around the edges or more yellow, because more dentin shows through the thinning enamel. The chewing surface of the tooth can appear dented, rounded or uneven. Because you have less enamel protecting the tooth beneath, you might feel more pain, tingling or discomfort when chewing or drinking hot or cold liquids.
Study Results
Studies on different types of soda and tooth enamel damage have shown interesting and not always expected results. Sodas with the highest sugar content don't always cause the most damage to tooth enamel. The March/April 2007 "General Dentistry" study found that root beer, which has a slightly less acidic pH than colas and other non-cola sodas, caused less tooth enamel loss than colas and non-cola soft drinks. However, non-cola drinks were less acidic but caused more enamel destruction than colas. Diet versions of soda caused less tooth enamel loss than their sugared counterparts. A University of Iowa study published in the May 2008 issue of "Nutrition Research" reported that sports and energy drinks had even higher acidity than soda and caused more tooth enamel erosion.
Prevention
If you indulge in a glass of soda occasionally, take steps to minimize any damage. Drink through a straw; this deposits the soda farther back in your mouth, away from your teeth, dentist Dr. Michael Sinkin suggests. Don't sip at a soda over an hour; drink it fairly quickly; constant sipping keeps your mouth bathed in acids longer. Rinse your mouth out with water when you finish to remove the soda residue. Chew sugarless gum when you finish to increase saliva output and to raise the pH in your mouth. Don't brush your teeth for at least 30 minutes after drinking soda; the acid weakens the enamel and brushing too soon can cause further damage, according to a German study reported in the September 2003 issue of "The Journal of the American Dental Association."
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/reasons-soda-rots-teeth-2949.html
By Hope Gillette
When it comes to oral health, it is not always about when to brush your teeth – sometimes it’s about when not to. Brushing within half an hour of eating a meal or drinking soda can cause serious corrosion of dentin, the layer below a tooth’s enamel.
“With brushing, you could actually push the acid deeper into the enamel and the dentin,” said Dr. Howard R. Gamble, president of the Academy of General Dentistry.
Brushing your teeth within half an hour of eating a meal or drinking soda can cause serious corrosion of dentin, the layer below a tooth’s enamel.
Dentists recommend waiting 30 minutes to ideally an hour before brushing to prevent the spread of acid around surfaces of the mouth.
Research indicates teeth show noticeable signs of corrosion if they are brushed within 30 minutes of drinking an acidic soft drink. The acid demineralizes the teeth, essentially stripping them of their dentin, a process then aggravated by premature brushing.
Less acid wear occurred for study volunteers at the 30 and 60 minute post-soft drink time frame.
“However, after intra-oral periods of 30 and 60 minutes, wear was not significantly higher than in unbrushed controls. It is concluded that for protection of dentin surfaces at least 30 minutes should elapse before toothbrushing after an erosive attack,” wrote the study authors.
The waiting period allows your mouth to produce enough neutralizing saliva that fights off the acidity from foods and drinks, explains Dr. Peter Alldritt, chairman of the Australian Dental Association’s oral health committee.
“Saliva contains calcium and phosphate ions and teeth also contain these ions, so saliva acts as a reservoir of calcium and phosphate for your teeth,” he added. ”Saliva also contains enzymes and buffers which neutralize acid and return the pH of your mouth to neutral over time.”
Besides acidic food and soft drinks, the Mayo Clinic recommends following the same caution with:
<img class="size-full wp-image-76976" title="oral health" src="http://ionevoxxi.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/shutterstock_81582871.jpg?w=300&h=449" alt="oral health" width="300" height="449" />Brushing too soon after drinking wine, milk, soda or juices could damage your teeth. The acid demineralizes the teeth, essentially stripping them of their dentin, a process then aggravated by premature brushing.
- Milk
- Juices
- Wine
- Tart candies
- Foods containing vinegar
- Energy drinks
- Citrus fruits
“When you eat food or drink beverages containing sugar or starch, the bacteria in your mouth produce acids that can attack your tooth enamel for 20 minutes or more. Choosing nutritious foods that are low in carbohydrates and sugar and drinking plenty of water also can help reduce harmful acid production,” recommends Mayo Clinic’s Adam Carr, D.M.D.
To lessen the effects of acid in the mouth, Dr. Gamble recommends rinsing with water or a water-baking soda mixture after eating. A one part baking soda to 8 parts water mixture will neutralize acid lingering on oral surfaces.
Other ways to manage acid erosion include:
- Sipping beverages quickly rather than longer, lingering sips.
- Brushing with fluoride toothpaste 30 minutes prior to a meal.
- Chewing sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva production.
- Avoid eating sugary and acidic foods just before sleeping when saliva production is decreased.
- Use a straw for sodas and juices rather than sipping from the container.
http://voxxi.com/2012/06/09/oral-health-brushing-teeth-damage/
Although I'm very surprised to see milk on caution list, I thought milk was good for teeth and was not acidic?
Reasons Why Soda Rots Your Teeth
by Suzanne Robin
The sugar in soda can damage your teeth, but sugar isn't the only culprit in the soda bottle -- and might not even be the most important one. Acids and preservatives in soda can also play a part in eroding tooth enamel, even if you drink diet sodas. Acids also lower the pH of saliva in your mouth, which allows bacteria to multiply on the surface of the teeth, causing erosion. Talk to your dentist about your risk of tooth enamel erosion.
How Soda Disturbs Tooth Enamel
Enamel hardens the outside of your teeth, protecting the dentin and pulp of the tooth from damage. Like any surface, enamel can wear down over time. Saliva performs essential functions in keeping tooth enamel strong. Calcium and phosphate particles in saliva help strengthen tooth enamel, according to Mayo Clinic. Saliva also washes away the acidic plaque that forms on tooth enamel and eats away at it. Soda contains acids such as phosphate and citric acid that weaken the tooth enamel.
Acid Effects
When the enamel weakens, bacterial plaque that forms on the teeth can reach the inner layers more easily, causing cavities. Sodas with high sugar content pack a one-two punch; first they weaken the enamel and then the high sugar content in the soda can easily penetrate into the tooth. Diet sodas weaken tooth enamel, allowing bacteria from other foods to easily damage the tooth. Teeth look different when the enamel is damaged. They no longer look as white; they might appear translucent around the edges or more yellow, because more dentin shows through the thinning enamel. The chewing surface of the tooth can appear dented, rounded or uneven. Because you have less enamel protecting the tooth beneath, you might feel more pain, tingling or discomfort when chewing or drinking hot or cold liquids.
Study Results
Studies on different types of soda and tooth enamel damage have shown interesting and not always expected results. Sodas with the highest sugar content don't always cause the most damage to tooth enamel. The March/April 2007 "General Dentistry" study found that root beer, which has a slightly less acidic pH than colas and other non-cola sodas, caused less tooth enamel loss than colas and non-cola soft drinks. However, non-cola drinks were less acidic but caused more enamel destruction than colas. Diet versions of soda caused less tooth enamel loss than their sugared counterparts. A University of Iowa study published in the May 2008 issue of "Nutrition Research" reported that sports and energy drinks had even higher acidity than soda and caused more tooth enamel erosion.
Prevention
If you indulge in a glass of soda occasionally, take steps to minimize any damage. Drink through a straw; this deposits the soda farther back in your mouth, away from your teeth, dentist Dr. Michael Sinkin suggests. Don't sip at a soda over an hour; drink it fairly quickly; constant sipping keeps your mouth bathed in acids longer. Rinse your mouth out with water when you finish to remove the soda residue. Chew sugarless gum when you finish to increase saliva output and to raise the pH in your mouth. Don't brush your teeth for at least 30 minutes after drinking soda; the acid weakens the enamel and brushing too soon can cause further damage, according to a German study reported in the September 2003 issue of "The Journal of the American Dental Association."
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/reasons-soda-rots-teeth-2949.html
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