Tips For Your Family From a Cosmetic Dentist

When you visit our cosmetic dentist office, we can provide you with information on a variety of topics, including maintaining good oral health, teeth whitening, Invisalign®, and more. It is critical you take the time for preventative health care because these regular dental cleanings will allow us to remove plaque and bacteria from your teeth so cavities do not form and gum disease is stopped. During these appointments, we welcome questions and work to educate patients on what they can do to stay healthy and to improve their smile. One of the common questions we receive has to do with the pH levels in drinks and how they impact teeth. Here is what you should know:

Everything you eat or drink can impact your teeth. If the pH levels are low, that means the item is acidic and can start to erode your enamel and even dissolve your dentin. Water is neutral, and so we recommend drinking water as much as possible. Water will not harm your teeth unless you have water with an additive in it, in which case, it could have a low pH level. One of the starkest realizations our patients have is how acidic common drinks are. While water is neutral at 7, Coca-Cola is so acidic, it has a pH level of 2.5. Dangerous acid has a pH level that is only slightly lower, meaning you can probably unclog your sink with a can of Coke and use it to erode your enamel while you're at it. Even juice can be bad for your teeth, so it is important to avoid anything acidic, carbonated, or too high in sugar. If you do drink any of these things, be sure to rinse your mouth immediately afterward, and brush your teeth using a fluoride toothpaste in order to strengthen them and decrease the chance of your teeth becoming damaged.

As a cosmetic dentist, another question we get is in regards to teeth whitening. This is interesting in how it relates to pH levels. Many people try to whiten their teeth at home, using home remedies with lemons or limes. This is incredibly dangerous for your teeth, and we do not recommend it. This is because lemons and limes have an extremely low pH level and are incredibly acidic. As a result, they can erode the enamel on your teeth and cause them to become sensitive, perhaps permanently. It is far safer to schedule a professional teeth-whitening procedure so we can apply a safe and professional grade solution that will effectively remove dark stains without placing your teeth at risk.

If you are undergoing an orthodontic treatment, it is important to pay extra care to what you drink and the pH levels in them. While wearing braces, a metal bracket is placed on the surface of your teeth, and very often, the portion of the tooth not covered with the bracket suffers stains and even erosion, since it is more difficult to properly clean them. As a cosmetic dentist, we know that if you are wearing Invisalign®, this is less of an issue since the aligners come out to eat and brush, but it is still important to avoid anything with a low pH level for the long-term health of your teeth.