Posted on 03/02/2007 5:45:58 PM PST by ari dubov
In a letter submitted to me by a student requesting more info on the effects of soda on teeth:
"To Whom it May Concern: Hello. My name is LN and I am an 8th grade student in NJ. This year for my science project, I am studying how soda affects teeth. For my research, I was hoping that I would be able to ask a dentist some questions about soda and teeth. I was wondering if you could take a few minutes and answer my questions. I would really appreciate it. My questions are: 1. What is your area of dentistry that you major in? 2. How does soda affect teeth? 3. Have you had any patients who's teeth have badly been damaged by soda? If so please explain their cases. 4. If a patient has tooth damage from soda, how do you fix it? Would you just be able to brush it off, or would you have to drill and replace the tooth? 5. Does diet sodas decrease the damage to teeth? 6. What is your advice to keep teeth clean and healthy from soda? I hope to hear from you soon. LN
Hi LN,
My name is Ari Dubov, and I am General Dentist Practicing in Paramus, NJ.
Soda in its various forms can have many adverse effects on teeth.
· A 12-ounce can of soda contains approximately 40 grams, or about teaspoons of sugar. A 20oz bottle therefore contains about 17 teaspoons of sugar and 250 empty calories. The bacteria in your mouth feed off the sugars you put in your mouth, and while digesting the sugar, the bacteria excrete acids that dissolve the enamel of your teeth. Soda also contains phosphoric, citric, tartaric and/or carbonic acid that is linked to the breakdown of tooth enamel. As you well know, enamel protects your teeth, but if the enamel deteriorates, it can open a whole host of dental problems ranging from sensitive teeth to dental cavties.
I have luckly only seen a few patients who had such significant and extensive decay that results from high soda use. The patients that did have these issues had to undergo extensive treatment which resulted in a large expense both in time and money as well as some tooth loss. Patients who already developed cavties, can not brush them off, the cavties or decay must be removed by drilling or other ways, the tooth will than be resotred (fixed) with various methods depending on the extent of the damage to the tooth. As far as diet soda to avoid the sugar, be aware that most sodas - regular or sugar-free - contain both phosphoric and citric acid which limit calcium absorption and have a direct effect on bone density - a serious issue especially for young girls who require calcium in their formative years to avoid the danger of broken bones while they are young, and osteoporosis later in life. My advice It is important to make teeth cleaning part of the daily routine, at least twice a day, making sure the final time is after your last meal so that food remnants do not stay in the mouth all night. Also routine check ups are very important and part of good care. Modern dentistry is increasingly preventive rather than curative.
Hint, chemists use marble chips in their laboratories to neiutralize acids. Marble chips are used because of their calcium content.
My dentist once told me that he saw a chart showing decay to teeth from sugared sodas overlayed with a chart with diet sodas and the curves were exactly the same.
My dentist told me to switch to diet in 1991.
Not so many problems since.
When a person says soda, I think of baking soda which along with a little salt, we used when we ran out of tooth powder!
You live a very shelter life!
Read my profile
Than you must not have learn much!
Is your ed keys broken?
ROFLMAO
Could not resist
Soda the East and, Pop in the Mid-West!
Now you see I have not been far but I do learn!:)
There was a very large thread last year on this subject!
works on battery terminals also
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