Why are my teeth wearing down?

Tooth erosion is a process where enamel wears down. This comes from exposure to acids in foods and drinks over time.  When we drink or eat acidic food enamel is temporarily softened and loses mineral content.  Saliva can neutralize the acidity and re-harden the enamel but because this is a slow process, with continual acid exposure, the tooth does not have enough time to repair itself.  Over time dentin (inside of tooth) will be exposed.  Dentin is prone to decay and sensitivity.  If the dentist doesn’t treat this problem soon, enamel will be lost.  Signs of erosion are sensitivity to cold and hot drinks and foods, yellowish appearance of teeth, rounded look of the teeth surface and dents on tooth surface. To prevent this you should cut acid drinks consumption, if you cannot do this, use a straw directed to the back of your mouth and drink it quickly.  Don’t suck on sour fruits, candies or frozen fruit juice.  After you had an acid drink or food you should rinse with water or eat a piece of cheese to neutralize acids.  Sugar free gum afterwards is good also. Food and beverages that have pH level below 4 can cause tooth erosion, these are: lemon juice, wine, sports drink, cola, coffee, vinegar, iced tea, grapefruit, diet cola, apples, blueberries,  dill pickles, orange juice, honey, root beer and ketchup. Remember:  Do not miss your regular dental care exam and cleaning every 6 months so your dentist can prevent problems like this.

What is tartar and how do I prevent it?

Tartar or dental calculus is calcified dental plaque.  Dental plaque is an aggregate of microorganisms which stick to each other on the tooth surface.  Dental calculus has microorganisms that originate from saliva, fluids from gums and diet, and inorganic components such as brushite, calcium phosphate and hydroxiapatite.  There are 2 types of calculus:  Supragingival and subgingival.  Supragingival calculus starts with salivary proteins absorbed on the tooth surface to form a pellicle, then microorganisms adhere and plaque matures and calcifies.  This is more common in areas associated with salivary ducts openings, the back of lower anterior teeth and the upper back molar.  The amount of supragingival calculus varies according to the composition of saliva, local physiologic factors, oral habits and frequency of professional dental care.  The pH of saliva is also a factor. A high pH will break down proteins in saliva that will be deposit on teeth.  Swimmers suffer from heavy calculus on the front teeth because chemicals in the pool’s water have a higher pH that alters the pH of the saliva. Subgingival calculus is formed by mineral salts from gum fluids and appears under the gum in between teeth throughout the dentition and is dark brown.  We can prevent dental calculus by brushing with a tartar control toothpaste, flossing, chewing gum and visiting the dentist more often for a  professional cleaning.

Diabetes and Oral Health.

Most of us know someone who has diabetes, a disease that affects 24 million Americans.  Diabetes can cause problems with your eyes, nerves, kidneys and heart. In the mouth, diabetes can cause tooth decay, gum disease, problems with salivary glands, fungal infections, and mouth skin disease.  People with diabetes must brush and floss their teeth constantly and visit the dentist at least twice a year for an exam and professional cleaning. Bacteria in the gums can cause major problems since diabetes will lower resistance to infection and slow the healing process. If diabetes is not controlled properly, high sugar levels in the saliva may help bacteria cause tooth decay which will also cause fungal infections, especially if the person wears dentures. People with diabetes must visit the dentist immediately if their gums are red, swollen, tender and bleed easily, if gums are shrinking, if pus is between teeth and gums, if teeth are loose and if there is bad breath or bad taste in the mouth.   Please share this blog to improve the life of people affected with diabetes.

Before you whiten your teeth...

You must have a check up with your dentist.  The dentist should review your medical history, allergies to any of the ingredients in the whitening products and pathologies that could be causing the darkening of the teeth. Cavities must be located and treated before whitening.  Fillings and Crowns should be identified and recorded since these do not whiten.  Tooth Discoloration and history of tooth sensitivity must be investigated in order to determine the type, length, additional treatments and outcome.  This information and your expectations should be discussed at the dental visit to determine what kind of whitening system is best for you.

There are 4 categories in the tooth whitening market: professionally applied (dental-office), dentist-prescribed/dispensed (patient-home-use), consumer-purchased/over the counter (applied by patients) and other non-dental options (mall kiosks, spa settings, etc).

Even if you decide to go for an over the counter system or non-dental option, your dentist should help you decide which one to buy and monitor the process.  Most of these products contain hydrogen peroxide and some carbamide peroxide in lower percentages. Safety issues have been raised regarding the effects of bleaching on the tooth structure, pulp tissues, gums, tissues of the mouth and systemic ingestion. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not classified these products since in the early 90's the proposal of regulating the peroxide-based bleaching materials as drugs was challenged legally by the manufacturers.

A professional assessment and supervision will reduce the risk of patients selecting and using inferior products, inappropriate applications procedures and product abuse. If you want a white smile this winter without pain and suffering, consider calling your dentist before you purchase a whitening product at your local pharmacy or mall.

“This burning sensation is driving me crazy….”

This is what a patient told me last week.   “It’s difficult to swallow, I bite myself constantly and I have a sore throat” she added.  These are the symptoms of Dry Mouth.  Saliva protects and lubricates the tongue and all tissues inside the mouth, helps with digestion process and prevents tooth decay. This is a common problem in older adults since salivary flow decreases with age and most of them are taking medicines.  Dry mouth is produced by antihistamines, decongestant, pain killers, high blood pressure medication, muscle relaxants, drugs for urinary incontinence, Parkinson’s disease medication, antidepressants and many others. If you take any of these medicines and have the symptoms described above, then call your dentist and schedule an appointment.  He can recommend various methods to restore moisture and talk to your physician to adjust your medications.  Sugar free candies, or gums to stimulate saliva flow and artificial saliva and oral rinses to moist the mouth. If Dry mouth is left untreated, it could damage your teeth and your mouth will be more susceptible to infections.