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How Beverages Dissolve Teeth

Feb 5, 2014 | Uncategorized

We have all heard about watching teeth dissolve in a cup of cola.  But what really happens in the mouth during sipping?  In short, sugary, acidic beverages result in loss of tooth structure.  Milk and water are healthiest for teeth.

Consider these facts:

  • Tooth enamel dissolves at a pH of 5.5 or lower.
  • 7.0 is neutral.  pH above 7.0 is basic.  pH below 7.0 is acidic.
  • Diet or “sugar-free” soda contains acid that erodes enamel.
  • Acid in soft drinks is the main cause of weakened enamel.
  • After drinking an acidic drink, the acid attacks enamel for 20 minutes.

Here is the pH of some  popular drinks:

Water 7.0 (neutral)
Barq’s Root Beer 4.0
Minute Maid Orange Juice 3.8
Propel Fitness Water 3.4
Red Bull 3.3
Sprite 3.3
Diet Coke 3.1
Diet Pepsi 3.0
Arizona Iced Tea 2.94
Hi-C Punch 2.82
Gatorade 2.9
SoBe Energy Citrus 2.6
Minute Maid Lemonade 2.6
Pepsi 2.5
Diet Schweppes Tonic Water 2.5
Coca-Cola Classic 2.4
Battery Acid 1.0

What you can do:

Drink soda rarely.  (The more frequent you drink it, the more damage it does.)

Use a straw to decrease contact with your teeth.

Avoid soda or juice before bed because the liquid coats your teeth and stays there while sleeping, when teeth are more vulnerable due to lower salivary flow.

Choose milk or water instead.

Rinse with water after drinking soda or juice.

Use fluoride toothpaste.  Sugar and acids demineralize enamel.  Fluoride remineralizes it.

Smiles,

Dr. Cook

Implant crown delivery

Oct 25, 2013 | Auburn WA, Dental blog, Dental Implants, Dentistry, Oral Health, Uncategorized, Women's Health

We recently delivered two crowns that are supported by dental implants.  Here are a few pictures of the process:

After the surgeon placed the implants, he attached a healing cap to each one.  The round, silver healing caps cover the implant for a few months after they are placed to allow bone to grow around the implants until they are well-anchored.  The implants, just like fence posts in cement, must be firmly anchored before attaching the crown and applying forces.

Here are the implant crowns in place while we check the fit.  The hole in the center is for the screw that holds the crown securely to the implant.

Once the fit is confirmed, the screws are torqued to 35 Newton/cm, covered, and the access hole restored to a natural look.  The patient can chew with these teeth immediately without restrictions.

Smiles,

Dr. Cook

The Floss Blog

Oct 4, 2013 | Dentistry, Oral Health, Sensitive Teeth, Uncategorized, Women's Health

Brushing cannot clean between your teeth, but bacteria certainly can live there quite happily, creating enamel-destroying acid 24/7.  Rinsing does not remove plaque anywhere, so flossing is a must.   Here is an x-ray of a cavity between teeth:

Smiles,

Dr. Cook

Why Extract Wisdom Teeth?

Oct 2, 2013 | Dentistry, Oral Health, Uncategorized, Wisdom Teeth, Women's Health

First, what is a wisdom tooth? A wisdom tooth is an adult tooth that erupts (comes up through the gums) in the mid-teen years. Normally, there are four wisdom teeth, one in each quadrant of the mouth: upper right, lower right, upper left, and lower left. The wisdom tooth is the molar which is the farthest back. Dentists refer to them as 3rd molars because they are the third molar in each quadrant to erupt. (First molars erupt around age 6. Second molars erupt around age 12.)

Wondering why wisdom teeth are so often extracted? Here it is:

1) Human jaws often are not long enough to allow enough room for the wisdom teeth to fully erupt.

2) Because there is insufficient room for wisdom teeth to erupt upright, they almost always lay at a slant, pushing against the second molar in front of them.

3) Pressure from the wisdom tooth pushing on the second molar causes pain, infection, and swelling.

4) Because third molars are often in contact with the tooth in front of them, there is not room for bone between the two. Think of this as two nails in a board that are so close together they touch. It’s easy to imagine that with no wood (bone) between the two nails (teeth), the nails (teeth) are not well-supported.

5) Because wisdom teeth are so far back, they are difficult to clean, so they are cavity-prone.

My recommendation: Have all wisdom teeth extracted as around age 16. The younger, the better because we heal better when we’re younger and over time, the roots grow longer, making extractions more challenging and healing a bit more involved.

-Dr. Cook

Sensitive teeth? Like hard bristles?

Aug 23, 2013 | Dentistry, Oral Health, Sensitive Teeth, Uncategorized, Women's Health

Last time I discussed correct brushing and showed a photo of the type of toothbrush abrasion dentists see all day. Here are before and after photos of toothbrush abrasion that was very sensitive and our restoration.

Before:

After:

Last time I discussed correct brushing and showed a photo of the type of toothbrush abrasion dentists see all day. Here are before and after photos of toothbrush abrasion that was very sensitive and our restoration.

Before:

After:

Brush gently in circles twice a day with the softest brush you can find.

-Dr. Cook

Brush up on brushing

Aug 15, 2013 | Dentistry, Oral Health, Sensitive Teeth, Uncategorized, Women's Health

By this time, toothbrushing is so mundane that you don’t know how you’re doing it or for how long, much less how effective your technique is. Maybe your only reasons for brushing are to freshen your breath and because you were told to do it ever since you can remember. Yes, we know that brushing helps prevent cavities.

Here’s the skinny on Safe, effective plaque removal:

    Use a soft or extra-soft-bristled brush
    Brush at least 2x a day: morning and night
    Angle the bristles 45 degrees so that they are directed into the gum line.
    If using a manual toothbrush, brush in a circular motion.
    If using an electric toothbrush, gently hold the moving bristles at the gum    
        line.
    Brush each quadrant of your mouth for 30seconds.
    Remember to brush the cheek side, tongue side and biting surfaces.
    Gums, cheeks, and tongue harbor bacteria; brush them, too.

Back-and-forth brushing results in heavy, irreversible wear of the tooth, forming grooves that are sensitive and decay easily.  These teeth have been abraded by back-and-forth scrubbing.

In my office, I give patients the tongue cleaner by Discus Dental to remove plaque that forms on the surface of the tongue, which is a reservoir of bacteria.  Try brushing your tongue with a toothbrush then using a tongue cleaner.  You won’t believe the amount of debris left behind by a toothbrush.

Brushing removes sticky, acidic plaque that cannot be rinsed away.

Best times to brush: first thing in the morning and right before bed.
Bacteria are present everywhere in the mouth constantly. They require simple sugar to proliferate. When we feed ourselves, we also feed them. They produce acidic plaque between meals.

Proper brushing begins with a soft or extra-soft toothbrush. Extra-soft toothbrushes are often marketed to people with sensitive teeth, but they’re good for everyone. Do not use a medium or hard bristled brush. I checked my local Safeway and was sad to see that Colgate, Reach, and Safeway brands all sell Medium bristled brushes. Shame on them!! Enamel may be the hardest substance in the body, but it certainly is not immune to abrasion or erosion.

Electric toothbrushes clean better than manual toothbrushes because there is more movement in the bristles.

Find a head that is small enough to reach the cheek side of your upper back teeth and the tongue side of your lower back teeth. Often, the jaw joint and tongue make it difficult to fit a toothbrush into those areas. These are areas that dental hygienists constantly find heavier plaque deposits, and where dentists often find cavities.

Brush twice and floss daily.

Dr. Cook

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