Hope everyone is having a great summer which brings about my next topic of interest on hot warm summer days - staying hydrated.  The journal of the American Dental Association (ADA) recently published an article on the varying pH's (how acidic or basic something is - low number being very acidic, high number being very basic, and neutral pH =7) of different beverages.  Water is always going to be your best bet in terms of staying hydrated with a neutral pH (although, I have read some articles that some bottled water can sometimes have a slightly acidic pH to them so do your research!)

The research study put the beverages into 3 categories.
-extremely erosive: pH lower than 3.0
-erosive: pH 3.0-3.99
-minimally erosive: pH of 4.0 or greater

Just to give everyone an idea of how erosive something is, lemon juice has a pH of 2.25 (extremely erosive).  Other beverages that fall into this category are Ocean Spray Cranberry (2.56), V8 Splash Tropical Blend (2.93), Cool Aid mix cherry (2.71), Tropicana Lemonade (2.70), Snapple Kiwi Strawberry (2.77), Coca-Cola Classic (2.37), Pepsi (2.39), Dr. Pepper (2.88), Crush Orange (2.87), Powerade Lemon Lime (2.75)

Some beverages that fall into the "erosive" category are 7UP (3.24), A&W cream soda (3.86), Mountain Dew (3.22), Redbull regular (3.43), Gatorade Rain Lime (3.19), Sobe Life Water Fugi Apple Pear (3.53), Vitamin Water Power C Dragonfruit (3.05), Sobe Pina Colada (3.25), Welch's Strawberry Kiwi (3.03), Welch's Apple Juice (3.57)

And then some examples of beverages that are "minimally erosive" are Aquafina regular (6.11), Dasani regular (5.03), V8 Vegetable Juice (4.23), A&W Root Beer (4.27), Canada Dry Club Soda (5.24).

Remember that a neutral pH is 7, and damage can occur to your teeth once the pH of your mouth goes below 5.5.  These are just some examples, but I love this research study because it shows just how harmful sodas, energy drinks, fruit juices and fruit drinks can be if consumed too frequently.

The original study was published in the April 2016 edition of the Journal of the American Dental Association.

-Eric Tyler, DDS

Teeth-staining culprits

Happy Spring.  Sorry it's been a while, but I've been trying to find an interesting/informative article to share with my patients, friends and family.  I think I've found something that will peek a lot of individuals interests.

Yahoo! News recently provided a list of 15 foods and beverages that can stain teeth, including berries, coffee, tea, red wine, curry, hard candies, tomato sauce, cherry juice, soda, balsamic vinegar, beets, popsicles, sports drinks, grapes, and lemons. According to the article, coffee, tea, and red wine, for example, contain tannins that can contribute to staining and discoloration, and many of the items on the list are also acidic, which can erode the enamel on teeth.

I've been receiving a lot of questions from my patients lately about discolored teeth and what are the causes.  Some of the above mentioned items are more obvious than others.  I hope you find this informative.

-Eric Tyler, DDS

Dislodged Teeth

Recently, I've seen a lot of traumatized teeth - chipped/cracked teeth or teeth that have been knocked out of place.  The ADA (American Dental Association) commented on a recent CBS segment on The Doctors show where they discussed the "do's and don'ts" should a tooth become dislodged.  Do not try to wash the tooth off with soap or soak it in any kind of peroxide.  The tooth should be placed in a small container either containing saliva (yes, you read that right) or milk.  Contact your dentist ASAP so that the tooth can potentially be re-implanted.  If it has been under an hour since the accident, chances are good that the tooth can successfully be re-implanted and splinted back into place.

Always remember that during any sporting activity, it is always a good idea to wear a mouthguard (either an over-the-counter style or a custom fit one by your dentist) to prevent injury to your teeth.

-Eric Tyler, DDS

Hello everyone,

My first official blog entry.  I hope that the information posted here is beneficial to our patients, friends and family.  Our goal is to provide updated information as it relates to your oral health.  We welcome any questions you may have.

The first topic that I would like to discuss relates to pediatric dentistry.  As a family dental office, we see both kids and adults alike.  Being that I have 2 young daughters, this is a topic of great interest to me.  Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued new recommendations - the first being that all children start using a toothpaste with fluoride when their teeth first appear, regardless of cavity risk level.  According to the AAP, children ages 3 and younger are advised to use a small amount of toothpaste (size of a grain of rice), and for those children 3 and up, a small pea-sized amount may be used.  As always, parents should dispense, supervise, and assist with brushing.  This information came from the journal Pediatrics, vol. 134, no. 3, Sept. 2014

-Eric Tyler, DDS

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