As a family dentist, we want you to have excellent oral health so that you can maintain a smile full of beautiful and healthy teeth throughout your lifetime. It is our goal that you not lose any of your teeth but continue to have them to eat and smile with, regardless of how old you are. The challenge is that most people do not think about their teeth and, therefore, do not take the steps necessary to keep them healthy. That means that teeth are often infected or eroded unnecessarily. This is why we spend so much time on patient education. We believe that by educating and empowering you, our patients, to make healthy choices, you can take the steps necessary to preserve the integrity of your teeth. This includes brushing and flossing correctly, visiting our office for professional teeth cleanings, and watching what you eat and drink. This is where the pH levels of objects become important.
Everything that you eat or drink has a pH level. When you put it in your mouth, your teeth will either have no reaction (meaning it is neutral like water) or have a negative reaction. A low pH level is acidic and corrosive. Battery acid, for example, has a pH level of zero and phosphoric acid has a pH level of 2. Keep in mind that phosphoric acid can clear your drain in a matter of seconds, regardless of how clogged it is. Naturally, you want to do whatever you can to keep anything this acidic or corrosive off of your teeth. This is why, as a family dentist, we recommend that you drink water and milk since they are neutral or close to it.
What you should stay away from….
If you want to keep your natural teeth strong and intact, do not drink soda. In fact, if you are drinking a can of it now, dump it down the drain and clean out your refrigerator. Soda is so bad for your teeth, so corrosive that it has a pH level closer to battery acid than water. RC Cola, for example, has a pH level of 2.38. That is barely above phosphoric acid, meaning that the same substance that can unclog your drain is just slightly more acidic than your beverage. The dentin on your teeth can dissolve at a pH level of 5.5 which should be alarming enough to warrant avoiding soda no matter what the occasion. If you absolutely must partake, drink a root beer since this is the least corrosive out of all of your soda choices.
We also recommend that you avoid fruit juice. As a family dentist, we suggest drinking vegetable juice instead since it is not quite as bad for your teeth. A V8 juice, for example, has a pH level of 4.29 where a Minute Maid orange juice has a pH level of 3.7.
While making these changes may not be easy, this is the best thing to do if you want to keep your natural teeth intact as you age. For more information, tips, or ideas, call our family dentist office.
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