Dentists in Bayshore NY on pH Protection
Our diets are one of the biggest causes of harm to our teeth. And while most patients almost inherently know the damaging power of sugar these days, more and more attention is shifting to the acidic content. Many companies will showcase their products as “sugar-free” or “diet” or “zero” because of the lack of sugar, but they maintain acid levels just as high as their “regular” counterparts. Today your dentists in Bayshore NY will be looking at what beverages could be responsible for eroding your teeth with acid and how to prevent it.
Any beverage with a pH level lower than 5.5 is considered acidic and harmful to the teeth. Many of these same beverages also contain other compounds that help them bind to the teeth and cause damage. Soda, of course, is one of the top wrongdoers in both of these categories. With an average pH of about 2.5, the citric and phosphoric acids (found typically in lemon or cola flavors) have been known to stick to the teeth and erode them over time.
Other beverages such as coffee and sports drinks can create erosion harm in another way. By means of caffeine content or at the times which they are consumed, saliva production in the mouth is reduced or at least capable of being reduced. This can lead to their acids doing damage when no saliva is there to protect the rest of the mouth and naturally wash away these perilous particles.
All of this talk of how we surround ourselves with teeth-eroding beverages is very informative, but how can we prevent this from happening to us?
Drink plenty of water, especially between eating. If you are consuming some of the beverages listed above, do so while eating in order to neutralize acid harm. Try drinking through a straw to bypass the teeth by a large extent. And finally, read the nutritional labels. The contents, although low in some harmful areas (sugars), will be revealed in full detail for your digestion there.
If your teeth have suffered at the hands of acid erosion and you need to schedule an appointment with your dentists in Bayshore NY, please call (631) 665-8484 today.
