Beware Of An Acidic Diet: Oral Health in Arcadia

Many of us in Arcadia don’t think of teeth as living body parts. Teeth seem to have a steady hardness, and dependably grind food whenever we want them to. But teeth are dynamic organisms, and keeping them clean is essential to good oral health.

Teeth are a complex system of highly specialized tissues. The protective enamel that covers the softer interior is made of minerals. Enamel can lose some of its density (a process called demineralization) when coming in contact with acids. One of the functions of saliva is to re-mineralize the enamel, by diluting and neutralizing these acids.

This process isn’t instantaneous, however. While the enamel is soft, the tooth is vulnerable to losing a microscopic outer layer of enamel. If the erosion continues, the much softer dentin is exposed. Eventually, the tooth may need to be extracted.

The list of acidic foods may surprise you. It includes eggs, asparagus, chicken, cottage cheese, honey, fish, ham, butter, sour cream, aged cheese, and yogurt with active cultures.

A general rule of them is that foods with a high sugar or artificial sweetener content are highly acidic.

Now let’s talk about drinks. You probably already know that soda pop and wine are not good for your teeth. Pasadena teens that sip soda all day can have acid erosion while their young teeth should be at their strongest. In addition to soda, energy drinks are very popular in California and Pasadena cosmetic dentists are noticing the effects on their dental patients’ tooth enamel.

If you drink soda or energy drinks often, you may want to have some water or chew sugarless afterward. Stimulating saliva production can speed up the remineralization process.

Brushing and flossing twice a day is the best way to avoid enamel damage from acidic foods and drinks, and thereby maintain your oral health. And be sure to visit us at Premier Dental Esthetics in Arcadia twice a year. We provide family and cosmetic dentistry.