I love that my family dentist is tech-savvy. It's so easy to book a dentist on his smartphone app if I have a tooth problem or if anyone in my family needs emergency problems (I can choose either my normal dentist or another dentist in his practise depending on availability). He also has some great cameras so that we can see exactly what is going on during treatment. I prefer not to see this, but my kids love to be able to see the dentist using his specialised tools to clean and repair their teeth. This blog has some tips on finding a tech-savvy dentist to help give your family the best possible dental care.
Juicing is big news these days, with lots of people substituting regular meals for juices due to their alleged health benefits. However, drinking juices every day could be wreaking havoc on your teeth and not just because of the sugar that is naturally present in fruit. Fruits and veggies also contain acid, and this acid can, over time, erode the precious enamel that protects your teeth. Also, the concentrated sugar in juices sticks to your teeth and makes its way into any crevices in your mouth, giving bacteria the chance to fester. In turn, the bacteria convert the sugar into acid, which can attack your tooth enamel.
This doesn't mean you need to throw away your juicer, but there are things you can do to make your juices so they are the least damaging to your teeth. Read on for more information.
Go easy on the Vitamin C
While Vitamin C has numerous health benefits, too much of it consumed in juices can erode the enamel with its acidity. A study carried out in 2009 found that the erosion that happened from excessive orange juice consumption markedly decreased hardness and increased the roughness of enamel.
Try upping the amount of non-Vitamin C laden items in your juices, and, if you do consume a lot of acidic citrus fruits, wait half an hour before brushing afterwards (you should be doing that anyway!) so that the acids have time to become neutralised. That way, you don't end up brushing them into your teeth.
Also, make sure you're drinking your juices through a straw so that direct contact with the teeth is reduced.
Add plenty of leafy greens
It's a great idea to add plenty of leafy greens to your juices. Not only are they good for your teeth (and bones!), but they also balance any sugars in your juice. However, it's still important to clean your teeth after (again, leaving a gap of about 30 minutes) as the chlorophyll (a green photosynthetic pigment found in green, leafy vegetables, such as kale and spinach) can stain your teeth. Again, drinking through a straw can help minimise this.
Keep up on your oral maintenance
It's more important than ever to make sure you are flossing and brushing properly if you consume a lot of juices. Brushing twice a day and flossing once a day will help rid your mouth of the acids, sugars, debris and bacteria that lead to the erosion of enamel. Talk to your dentist for more information.
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