Posts Tagged "tooth decay"
Watch out for these fruits that weaken your enamel!
Did you know that enamel, the hardest substance in your body, can be weakened over time by eating certain fruits? The FDA lists the 13 most acidic fruits and their pH ranges as:
- Lemon Juice (2.00 – 2.60)
- Limes (2.00 – 2.80)
- Cranberry Juice (2.30 – 2.52)
- Blue Plums (2.80 – 3.40)
- Grapes (2.90 – 3.82)
- Pomegranates (2.93 – 3.20)
- Grapefruits (3.00 – 3.75)
- Blueberries (3.12 – 3.33)
- Pineapples (3.20 – 4.00)
- Apples (3.33 – 4.00)
- Peaches (3.30 – 4.05)
- Mangos (3.40 – 4.80)
- Oranges (3.69 – 4.34)
If you are experiencing sensitivity, you may want to cut out acidic fruits listed above from your diet as much as possible. You can also use a special toothpaste to decrease sensitivity. Instead of eating these acidic fruits, you can opt for eating less acidic fruits like cantaloupe (6.13-6.58) which have less of an enamel-weakening effect while providing optimal vitamin C levels. Honeydew melons, bananas, and watermelon are also great options. Protecting your enamel from acidic fruits will also lessen your risk of cavities, and help you achieve the perfect smile!
Feel free to contact Drs. Ali & Ali and their newest addition to the team, Dr. Zarah Ali, if you have any thoughts or concerns. Your little ones and teens are welcome to visit our pediatric dentist Dr. Van. Dr. Emad is happy to help with your orthodontic needs. For wisdom teeth extractions or any other periodontal or oral surgery needs, Dr. Ghazi would be more than willing to help.
The caring team at Wellesley Dental Group will be happy to answer your questions! Contact us today at 781-237-9071 or smile@wellesleydentalgroup.com to set up an appointment and consultation.
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Do you like a lot of sauce on your food? Here’s how your teeth are taking it
It’s hard to resist dipping french fries in ketchup, adding a extra dressing on salad, or smothering steak in steak sauce. After all, all we crave is a little added taste for our food. Ketchup is basically crushed tomatoes, right? Actually, one bottle of ketchup contains approximately 33 teaspoons of sugar!
One of the main reasons why sauce is unhealthy and bad for your teeth is due to the added sugars and acidity of the sauces. The acid weakens your enamel, while the added sugars feed bacteria in your mouth. Both of these elements ultimately result in an increased prevalence of cavities. In addition to the negative effects on your oral health, the added calories in sauce on your food is also not ideal for maintaining a healthy diet.
Sometimes it is hard to interpret how much sugar is in a sauce (or any other food at that) by just reading the grams off of the nutritional label. There are tools you can use on your smartphone or computer that let you see how many tablespoons of sugar are in foods.
TIPS:
-Always use sauce in your foods in moderation.
-Brush your teeth after meals, or at least after you’ve had a heavy meal.
-Read nutritional labels on food packaging and watch out for how many grams of sugar are in it.
Feel free to contact Drs. Ali & Ali and their newest addition to the team, Dr. Zarah Ali, if you have any thoughts or concerns. Your little ones and teens are welcome to visit our pediatric dentist Dr. Van. Dr. Emad is happy to help with your orthodontic needs. For wisdom teeth extractions or any other periodontal or oral surgery needs, Dr. Ghazi would be more than willing to help.
The caring team at Wellesley Dental Group will be happy to answer your questions! Contact us today at 781-237-9071 or smile@wellesleydentalgroup.com to set up an appointment and consultation.
References:
http://www.sugarstacks.com/sauces.htm
http://www.happilyunprocessed.com/2014/10/09/shocking-sugar-finds/
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To pick or not to pick?
You may see these little wooden toothpicks in restaurants across your city, either by the register or on the table. Although you may feel tempted to grab one and pry food debris between your teeth, you may not be doing your gums and teeth a favor by doing so! Here are some reasons why tooth picking is a bad habit:
- It irritates your gums.
People could be very harsh when trying to get food debris from in between their teeth. As a result, they may also end up picking their gums too harshly to the point where they are red and inflamed. If this is the case, stop picking your teeth immediately!
- Nothing replaces brushing and flossing.
Even though you may have been successful in removing some food debris using a wooden toothpick, it is still essential that you follow proper brushing and flossing habits at home. This is ultimately what will protect your teeth from decay.
- You may actually be pushing food particles further down into your gums.
If you are following proper flossing technique, you should be ‘scooping’ out plaque and food debris from in between your teeth. By using a wooden toothpick, you could be jamming food particles further down into your gum, becoming harder to remove.
- You could damage a pre-exisiting filling or Veneers.
If you have prior dental work, such as fillings, crowns, or Veneers, you should avoid using toothpicks as it could cause damage to any dental work you have. If this has happened to you, be sure to visit your dentist for a replacement as soon as possible.
Feel free to contact Drs. Ali & Ali and their newest addition to the team, Dr. Zarah Ali, if you have any thoughts or concerns. Your little ones and teens are welcome to visit our pediatric dentist Dr. Van. Dr. Emad is happy to help with your orthodontic needs. For wisdom teeth extractions or any other periodontal or oral surgery needs, Dr. Ghazi would be more than willing to help.
The caring team at Wellesley Dental Group will be happy to answer your questions! Contact us today at 781-237-9071 or smile@wellesleydentalgroup.com to set up an appointment and consultation.
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Do you have dry mouth like a desert? Here’s why
Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, happens when salivary glands in your mouth do not produce enough saliva. If you have dry mouth, you may constantly feel the need to drink water- only to find that you still have a ‘dry feeling’ afterwards. Having a dry mouth may result in bad breath, a dry tongue, difficulty swallowing, and a general unpleasant feeling.
Causes of dry mouth:
- Medications
- Side effects of several medications, including over-the-counter antihistamines and pain relievers, may include dry mouth.
- Tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol use
- Reducing tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol use is not only beneficial for your overall health, but also will reduce dry mouth.
- Certain health conditions
- Diabetes, stroke, or Alzheimer’s disease can all contribute to feelings of dry mouth.
- Aging
- Saliva production decreases as one ages, which results in dry mouth.
How to fix it?
- Use over-the-counter mouthwashes for dry mouth, which contain the active ingredient xylitol.
- You may also contact your primary care provider to see which medications you are taking could be contributing to a dry mouth symptom.
- Your doctor or dentist may prescribe medication to stimulate saliva production and reduce the symptoms of dry mouth.
Feel free to contact Drs. Ali & Ali and their newest addition to the team, Dr. Zarah Ali, if you have any thoughts or concerns. Your little ones and teens are welcome to visit our pediatric dentist Dr. Van. Dr. Emad is happy to help with your orthodontic needs. For wisdom teeth extractions or any other periodontal or oral surgery needs, Dr. Ghazi would be more than willing to help.
The caring team at Wellesley Dental Group will be happy to answer your questions! Contact us today at 781-237-9071 or smile@wellesleydentalgroup.com to set up an appointment and consultation.
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-mouth/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20356052
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Toothpaste: what type and how much?
It is easy to be overwhelmed at the convenience store, where the stacks of toothpaste in the aisles leave you wondering if you are really using the right type of toothpaste for your needs. You finally decide on a toothpaste tube, only to go home and question whether you are using the right amount. Follow the tips below to end your worries!
- Prevent tooth decay: opt for a toothpaste which contains sodium fluoride as an active ingredient.
Fluoride aids in the enamel remineralization process caused by tooth decay. By using a toothpaste which contains fluoride, you are preventing tooth decay!
- Prevent sensitivity: opt for a toothpaste which contains potassium nitrate.
Potassium nitrate soothes pain caused by dentin exposure. In addition to using desensitizing toothpaste, make sure that you are not brushing aggresively as this habit wears down your enamel and eventually causes dentin exposure.
- Whiten your teeth: often contains a mild abrasive.
Although whitening toothpastes are effective in removing surface stains, if you are experiencing sensitivity you may want to avoid daily use of a whitening toothpaste. However, whitening toothpastes may still be a good option, cost-effective option if you want to keep your teeth bright.
So, how much toothpaste should I use?
Whichever toothpaste you end up choosing, you should always put a pea sized glob of toothpaste on your toothbrush- nothing more, nothing less! Don’t waste your toothpaste!
Feel free to contact Drs. Ali & Ali and their newest addition to the team, Dr. Zarah Ali, if you have any thoughts or concerns. Your little ones and teens are welcome to visit our pediatric dentist Dr. Van. Dr. Emad is happy to help with your orthodontic needs. For wisdom teeth extractions or any other periodontal or oral surgery needs, Dr. Ghazi would be more than willing to help.
The caring team at Wellesley Dental Group will be happy to answer your questions! Contact us today at 781-237-9071 or smile@wellesleydentalgroup.com to set up an appointment and consultation.
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Dr. Ejaz and Dr. Femina Ali have a strong desire to provide the very best that dentistry has to offer, and have a combined 40 years of clinical experience to meet that commitment! Graduates of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Drs. Ali and Ali have become recognized leaders in cosmetic, implant, and restorative dentistry. In order to remain on the leading edge of dental technologies and techniques, their personal commitment includes hundreds of hours each year in advanced dental training. Drs. Ali and Ali consistently stay up to date on the most current techniques including procedures in restorative, TMJ, sedation, implant and laser dentistry.
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