The Latest Dental News

Several pieces of interesting dental research have surfaced lately and we wanted to share this with our patients via our blog. Read on for the latest dental news! Did you know? Sports drinks have been linked to tooth damage! This includes drinks such as Gatorade, Powerade, and Vitaminwater. Besides sugar, these drinks also contain unusually high levels of citric acid, which can corrode the teeth and leave them severely damaged. In an experiment conducted by the New York University College of Dentistry, teeth were submerged in sports drinks for 75 to 90 minutes. After that time, tiny holes could be witnessed forming on the surfaces of the teeth. As a control, teeth were also placed in water. No damage was found in these teeth. It is important to note that brushing teeth immediately after consuming these beverages can cause even more damage. The enamel of the teeth, having been softened by the citric acid, becomes more vulnerable to the abrasive qualities of the toothbrush, further eroding and damaging the teeth’s surface. This doesn’t mean, however, that your teeth will become damaged just from the occasional sports or soft drink. The saliva in your mouth does help to wash the acid away in a real-life situation, and teeth therefore do not stay completely submerged in citric acid-containing substances for extended periods of time. However, it does illustrate why acidic drinks should be limited or avoided for the most part to extend the life of your teeth and avoid cavities in the first place.

Did you know? Drinking green tea may actually help strengthen your teeth! Researchers in Japan studied more than 25,000 Japanese men and women between ages 40 and 64 to determine that: - The study’s participants who drank at least one cup of green tea per day (WITHOUT sugar) were less likely to lose teeth.

- Drinking unsweetened coffee had no effect on tooth loss. - Antimicrobial molecules called catechins may account for the dental benefits found in drinking unsweetened green tea. Catechins are believed to kill mouth bacteria. - Women in the study were 13% less likely to suffer from tooth loss, while men were 19% less likely.

Did you know? There are actually foods that can prevent bad breath! To keep halitosis at bay, parsley has been a known herbal remedy for many years. But new herbs such as coriander, tarragon, rosemary, and eucalyptus all have the power to fight bad breath. Other great edible remedies include yogurt, which contains probiotics (good bacteria); crunchy fruits and vegetables, such as apples, carrots, and celery, which help to clean your teeth of plaque and therefore bacteria; and vitamin-C rich foods like berries, melons, and citrus fruits, which create a hostile environment in the mouth and inhibit bacteria from growing.

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