by Barbara Hillary, PhD
Everybody wants to have a million dollar smile. So did you know that you can help your teeth look their best by maintaining a balanced pH in your oral cavity during this Halloween season? pH measures whether a substance is acidic or alkaline. A pH of 7.0 is considered neutral. pH <7.0>7 is alkaline.
A healthy mouth should have a neutral pH (around 7.0). That's why it's important to brush our teeth after meals, and definitely after eating sweets. Don't forget to floss as well! When you skip this important step, by brushing alone, you'll remove only about 40% of what sticks to your teeth on that day.
When pH is too acidic...
You may want to consider limiting the amount of sweets in your diet during this Halloween season, especially if you want to maintain your teeth's health. After eating sweets or drinking sugared beverages, such as juice or soda, the pH in the mouth drops, becoming acidic. Acidic environment in the oral cavity is a breeding ground for the bacteria responsible for breaking down carbohydrates. That process increases the mouth's acidity even further. When the mouth's pH remains acidic (<5.0) for longer than 2 hours, the tooth enamel starts to corrode, leading to cavities.
When pH is too basic...
When you skip meals and go without eating for hours, your mouth's pH becomes basic (>7.0). That leads to bacterial proliferation. However, bacteria growing in a basic environment is different from bacteria thriving in acidic environment. They cause gum disease and dragon breath. They are also responsible for hardening of tartar.
What's tartar?
Tartar, or calculus, is the hardened deposit on teeth that forms in the presence of saliva, debris, minerals, and dental plaque. Tartar has a rough surface that promotes further buildup of plaque, thus threatening the health of your gums. Plaque that accumulates on calculus causes inflammation and receding gums. In addition, calculus may extend into pockets in between teeth, and promote bacterial proliferation that is linked to cardiovascular disease. To prevent calculus buildup, brush after meals, floss at least once a day, and see your dentist regularly for check-up and cleaning.
So if you have a sweet tooth, do not deprive yourself of treats, but take charge of your oral heath: brush your teeth after you indulge
Dr. Hillary is a pediatric nurse practitioner with a doctoral degree in health promotion and risk reduction. She works as a pediatric clinician and writes for Plugged in Parents. Plugged In Parents provides up-to-date info on pediatric health, safety and nutrition along with movie reviews, recipes, tech-savvy tips, and a parent's only forum. You can also contact Dr. Hillary for personal questions related to health and nutrition. Please visit http://www.pluggedinparents.com
Everybody wants to have a million dollar smile. So did you know that you can help your teeth look their best by maintaining a balanced pH in your oral cavity during this Halloween season? pH measures whether a substance is acidic or alkaline. A pH of 7.0 is considered neutral. pH <7.0>7 is alkaline.
A healthy mouth should have a neutral pH (around 7.0). That's why it's important to brush our teeth after meals, and definitely after eating sweets. Don't forget to floss as well! When you skip this important step, by brushing alone, you'll remove only about 40% of what sticks to your teeth on that day.
When pH is too acidic...
You may want to consider limiting the amount of sweets in your diet during this Halloween season, especially if you want to maintain your teeth's health. After eating sweets or drinking sugared beverages, such as juice or soda, the pH in the mouth drops, becoming acidic. Acidic environment in the oral cavity is a breeding ground for the bacteria responsible for breaking down carbohydrates. That process increases the mouth's acidity even further. When the mouth's pH remains acidic (<5.0) for longer than 2 hours, the tooth enamel starts to corrode, leading to cavities.
When pH is too basic...
When you skip meals and go without eating for hours, your mouth's pH becomes basic (>7.0). That leads to bacterial proliferation. However, bacteria growing in a basic environment is different from bacteria thriving in acidic environment. They cause gum disease and dragon breath. They are also responsible for hardening of tartar.
What's tartar?
Tartar, or calculus, is the hardened deposit on teeth that forms in the presence of saliva, debris, minerals, and dental plaque. Tartar has a rough surface that promotes further buildup of plaque, thus threatening the health of your gums. Plaque that accumulates on calculus causes inflammation and receding gums. In addition, calculus may extend into pockets in between teeth, and promote bacterial proliferation that is linked to cardiovascular disease. To prevent calculus buildup, brush after meals, floss at least once a day, and see your dentist regularly for check-up and cleaning.
So if you have a sweet tooth, do not deprive yourself of treats, but take charge of your oral heath: brush your teeth after you indulge
Dr. Hillary is a pediatric nurse practitioner with a doctoral degree in health promotion and risk reduction. She works as a pediatric clinician and writes for Plugged in Parents. Plugged In Parents provides up-to-date info on pediatric health, safety and nutrition along with movie reviews, recipes, tech-savvy tips, and a parent's only forum. You can also contact Dr. Hillary for personal questions related to health and nutrition. Please visit http://www.pluggedinparents.com
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