How These Drink Favorites Could be Harmful to Teeth

Drinking soda, enjoying a juice or coffee in the morning, and sipping a glass of wine with dinner are all habits that can be quite common in our culture. While most people know that soda and alcohol aren't particularly good influences on health, they may not realize how many drink favorites could actually be harming their teeth. At Access Dental and Dentures, we care about your health and want to help keep your pearly whites in good condition. Read on to learn more about the common drinks that could be damaging your teeth, and come visit the best Springfield area dentists for your fall check-up!

Soda

Carbonated drinks already have a pretty bad reputation when it comes to health. Because of their acidic and sugary nature, sodas can be incredibly harmful to your teeth. The acidity in soda can actually be the bigger issue. Both diet and regular sodas can do the same amount of damage to the enamel protecting your teeth. For that reason, it is best to avoid drinking soda.

Juice

Some individuals believe that juice has a lot of health benefits. Some "old wives' tales" say that cranberry juice helps with infections, or that orange juice can help stave off a virus. While the vitamins and minerals may be helpful in some respects, the concentrated acidity and sugar content are not doing your teeth any favors. Because fruit juices are concentrated, they are much more acidic than eating a piece of fruit on its own.

Tea and Coffee

While tea and coffee are both somewhat acidic, they aren't particularly detrimental on their own. Green tea can actually be beneficial for your gums, and black coffee may help prevent cavities. The problem with coffee and tea comes in when you add sugar and creamer. Sweet iced tea has a high sugar content that can be very damaging to the enamel on your teeth. Sugary creamers and artificial flavorings in coffee can also be harmful to the health of your teeth.

Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages can dry out your mouth and cause a lack of sufficient saliva. Saliva is helpful and important in washing away bacteria and preventing tooth decay. If your mouth is too dry, saliva cannot properly do its job. Contrary to popular belief, white wine may actually be worse for your teeth than red wine. While red wine can cause surface stains, white wine is more acidic than red and can cause permanent enamel damage.

Sparkling Water

This being on the list may surprise people! Sparkling water is actually quite acidic and erosive, which could be very bad for your teeth. In fact, the level of acidity in sparkling water matches and sometimes exceeds the acidity in orange juice.

How to Help Minimize Damage

If you do choose to keep these popular drinks as part of your diet, there are a few ways you can try to help limit the damage they do to your teeth.

1. Use a Straw - Drinking through a straw can help minimize the amount of contact the drink has with your teeth, and thereby help reduce potential damage.
2. Don't Sip - If you're drinking something acidic, don't sip on it throughout the day. This lengthens the amount of time your teeth are exposed to harmful materials. 
3. Wait, then Brush - After you have one of these acidic drinks, wait about 30 minutes and then brush your teeth. Brushing immediately could scrub the acidic substances into your teeth, furthering the damage.   
4. Diluting the Drink - For some of these drinks, it could be helpful to dilute them with 50% water. This will reduce the amount of acid and sugar that come in contact with your teeth.  
5. Visit Your Dentist - Regular visits to the dentist's office for checkups can help keep your enamel strong and catch any issues before they get too serious. 

Access Dental is the best Springfield area dentist, and we care about your oral health. We would love to help you take care of your teeth! Call 1-877-DENTIST today to schedule your appointment. 

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile! 

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4 Common Dental Hygiene Concerns

Keeping your teeth and mouth clean and healthy is an important habit. In addition to helping increase your confidence with a beautiful smile, proper oral hygiene is good for your overall health. If the health of your teeth is neglected, they can develop issues and even start to decay. Our expert team at Access Dental can help improve your oral health with regular cleanings. Read on to learn about the common issues that could develop without proper care, and call us today to schedule your cleaning appointment to help prevent them!

Plaque

This is one of the first issues that can arise when your teeth aren't properly and regularly cleaned. Plaque is a colorless, sticky bacterial substance that grows on nearly every surface of the teeth. If plaque is allowed to build up, then the acidic biofilm can start to cause tooth decay and gum sensitivity. Thankfully, plaque is fairly manageable with flossing and twice-a-day brushing.

Tartar

Tartar occurs in the mouth when plaque is not regularly removed and it starts to calcify. It becomes a hardened, yellow substance on the teeth and can be damaging to oral health. Additional plaque can build up on the tartar, making the calcifications grow larger over time. Tartar buildup can cause bad breath, receding gums, and inflammation. It's important to regularly brush your teeth to remove plaque and prevent tartar buildup. If tartar does start to accumulate on your teeth, schedule an appointment with your local dentist to have it professionally removed.

Weak Spots

As bacteria and other harmful substances sit on the surface of your teeth, the protective layer of enamel on your teeth starts to erode. This creates a weak spot on the tooth that can quickly become a cavity without proper care. Using toothpaste that contains fluoride can help strengthen these areas and help prevent further issues from developing. The best way to avoid weak spots is by practicing active prevention. Try to avoid sugary drinks, overly acidic foods, and sweets. If you do indulge, make sure to brush your teeth thoroughly to prevent the sugar and acid from sitting on your teeth and causing damage.

Cavities

Cavities occur when tooth decay becomes so advanced that it has eaten through multiple layers of the tooth's structure. Once the enamel layer has eroded and bacteria reach the inner areas of the tooth, a deep cleaning and dental filling is likely. In more advanced cases, a root canal or tooth extraction may be necessary.

Preventative Tooth Care

Healthy teeth can help increase confidence and improve your wellbeing. To help promote your oral health and prevent these common issues, develop regular hygiene habits. Brush your teeth twice a day, floss, and schedule regular visits to the dentist. Access Dental and Dentures has an incredible team. We are the best dentists in the Springfield area, and we care about you and your health.

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile! 

1-877-DENTIST

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The Art of Brushing Your Teeth

Brushing your teeth may seem like an intuitive activity, but sometimes people miss important steps without even realizing it. As the best dentist in the Springfield area, Access Dental has some great tips to help improve your toothbrushing habits and improve your oral health. Read on to learn more, and call us today to schedule a cleaning appointment for an even brighter smile!

Amount of Toothpaste

Many people don’t realize how little toothpaste you need. Too much toothpaste can cause extra abrasion to your teeth’s enamel, damaging your teeth. It can also leave white spots on the surface of your teeth from too much fluoride – a condition called fluorosis.

The recommended amount of toothpaste to use is merely a pea-sized drop. This amount helps clean off bacteria and buildup without being too aggressive to the surface of your teeth. For kids with developing teeth, the suggested amount is even smaller. Use just a smear or rice-sized amount for small children.

How Long to Brush

Some people brush their teeth absent-mindedly while performing other morning chores and don’t know how long they typically spend brushing. They may even get distracted and need both hands for a task and pause their tooth brushing. What seems like an adequate amount of time could be too short.

Two minutes is the optimal amount of time to brush your teeth. This comes to about 30 seconds for each side (top right, top left, bottom right, and bottom left). To help keep yourself on track, try to avoid performing other parts of your morning routine while brushing your teeth. Get a fun sand timer for your bathroom or choose a two-minute song to start your morning off on the right foot.

Where to Focus

It can be easy to get into a routine of absentmindedly brushing your teeth without realizing you’re regularly missing places. Some people commonly miss the inner sides of their teeth. Plaque can build up on the back of your front incisors as a result of incomplete tooth brushing habits. Remember that every surface of your teeth exposed to food and drink needs regular cleaning – not just the surfaces you see when you smile.

Technique

Did you know that there are several different tooth brushing techniques? Side-to-side, up-to-down, and circular are some of the more common styles. Side-to-side can feel the most natural and easiest, but it’s not always the most effective method. Brushing up-to-down or in a circular motion can help remove plaque and foreign materials rather than simply pushing them around.

Schedule a Cleaning

These tooth brushing techniques can help keep your teeth cleaner and more protected. Be mindful of the amount of toothpaste you use, brush for two uninterrupted minutes, make sure you cover all surfaces of your teeth, and brush the plaque down and away from your gums with a circular or up-to-down technique.

Remember to also schedule regular teeth cleanings with the best Springfield area dentist at Access Dental to remove buildup that your toothbrush can’t get for a healthier, whiter smile!

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile! 

1-877-DENTIST

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FAQs About Enamel

Protecting your oral health is very important. You can help do this by brushing your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes each time, flossing daily, and regularly visiting the dentist. Access Dental and Dentures has a few other facts and tips that could help you take better care of your teeth. Today we are discussing enamel - what it is, how it protects your teeth, what can damage your enamel, and what happens when it’s gone.

What is enamel?

Enamel is the hard, protective layer on the outside of your teeth. The color of your teeth actually comes from a different layer of your teeth called dentin. Enamel is translucent, so it can be difficult to tell with the naked eye if it has been damaged.

How does enamel protect teeth?

The layer beneath your enamel is composed of a more sensitive material called dentin. When dentin is exposed to open air and bacteria, it can cause tooth sensitivity, tooth decay, cavities, and more. Enamel is a “forcefield” so-to-speak that protects this more sensitive inner layer from damage and decay.

What damages enamel?

Even though enamel is the hardest material in the human body, certain substances can start to erode the enamel as they sit on your teeth. The primary offenders are acidic compounds (carbonated drinks, fruit juices, coffee), sugary substances, and starchy foods. Bacteria from plaque buildup can also cause erosion of the enamel.

Once enamel is gone, can it heal?

In short, no. Once enamel is gone, it is permanent. Enamel doesn’t have any living cells to be able to regenerate like the other bones in our bodies.

However, if your enamel is simply weakened, there are ways to help strengthen it. Certain kinds of toothpaste and mouthwashes can help by depositing strengthening minerals to the surface of the tooth, bonding to supporting the enamel.

Be proactive and protect your enamel

Help take care of your enamel by following these tips:
Limit the amount of sugary and starchy foods you consume.
Avoid overly acidic foods and drinks.
(If you do consume an enamel-weakening substance, rinse your mouth out with water and give them a quick brush or swish of mouthwash if possible.)
Use oral health products that strengthen the integrity of your teeth.
Regularly visit your dentist to check the health of your enamel and remove damaging plaque.

AccessDental is the best Springfield area dentist. We are passionate about the health of your teeth and can help advise you on how to improve your personal oral health. Call today to schedule your appointment!

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile! 

1-877-DENTIST

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