Tag: tooth enamel erosion

Red wine and teeth

How Safe Is Red Wine for Your Teeth?

Posted on | by mel | 6 Comments on How Safe Is Red Wine for Your Teeth?

Wine Causes More Damage than Just Stained Teeth

Many people enjoy a glass of red wine with their meal. It is considered a staple by some people and they would miss it if not served with their meal. It is also well-known to be capable of producing strong stains, and many people have stained teeth because of it. Besides the red wine teeth, red wine is also capable of producing tooth enamel erosion. 

 

Tooth Discoloration

Red wine, along with tea and coffee contains tannins. This substance can stain your teeth. It can do this because the enamel on your teeth consists of ridges and pits – even though it may look smooth to the eye. When you drink or eat, food particles and the dyes in the wine get caught on the ridges and leave your teeth stained. 

White wine is actually no better for you when it comes to having stained teeth. Although it is not red, it still contains the tannins that are responsible for the staining power of wine. 

 

Acidic Drinks

Being that red wine contains alcohol, it clearly falls into the category of acidic foods. It has a strong pH level of somewhere between 2.9 and 3.5, and this means that it can damage the enamel on your teeth. Drinking wine often can definitely cause acid erosion, and leave you with wine stained teeth. 

The acid literally starts to dissolve the enamel. Over time, it becomes thin. This leads to a changing of the color of your teeth because of the color of the under layer, which is a darker yellow. You may also experience pain because the nerves in your teeth become exposed. This is a problem because enamel does not grow back. 

 

Alcohol and Dehydration

Alcohol is also bad for your teeth because it will dry out your mouth. It is a diuretic, which means it helps you eliminate water from your mouth and body. 

Having a dry mouth is bad for teeth because your saliva helps keep the bad bacteria in your mouth under control. Saliva also helps to strengthen your teeth.

 

Mixing Red Wine with Soda

People who enjoy mixing their red wine with soda are actually causing worse dental damage. Soda has its own acids in them, and a lot of sugar, with Coke having about nine teaspoons per can. The sugar in the soda will cause the bad bacteria in your mouth to grow. When it does, they produce acid, too. The combined acids mean that the erosion process takes place even faster.

 

Cancer Risk

While the health benefits of drinking red wine are often touted loud and clear, some recent studies have found a connection between alcohol and mouth cancer. A look at mouth cancer patients discovered that 75 to 80 percent of them admitted to drinking alcohol often. Cancer is even more likely to develop when combined with smoking. 

 

How to Remove Stains from Teeth

If your teeth are stained from red wine, there are several ways to remedy the problem and get beautiful white teeth again. One way would be to buy a teeth whitening kit at your local store. They work slowly, taking about two weeks to whiten your teeth. It will, however, only get your teeth between one or two shades brighter. 

A faster way is to go to your dentist and ask about teeth whitening options. A dentist can provide you with much whiter teeth faster. Because they supervise the process, they can use stronger chemicals that will get your teeth 1about six shades brighter in just one session. A dentist can also provide you with teeth whitening chemicals to use at home, but they will not be as strong as you can get in the office. 

 

Dental Veneers

Probably the best way to get really white teeth is to get dental veneers. These are porcelain caps that are placed on the front of your teeth. Because they cover your teeth, they are often used to cover up a wide variety of problems. They can be used to hide problems such as chips, wine stained teeth, short teeth, teeth that are slightly misaligned and even gaps between your teeth. After they are applied, they will give you a Hollywood smile. 

Being that veneers are made of porcelain, they reflect light like your natural teeth. They can also be tinted to match the color of your existing teeth. Veneers have the added advantage that when they are taken care of properly, they can last between 15 to 20 years. 

 

Dental Caps

If you have individual teeth that are badly stained, a dental cap can give you a white smile again. Dental caps are also made of porcelain and will look natural. This process removes the top part of your tooth and replaces it with a ceramic crown. A crown can last the rest of your life. 

If you want to know more about how to remove stains from teeth as a result from drinking red wine, you can get help from our expert dental team at Champion dental, Farmers Branch , and regain that beautiful smile. Contact our office today at (214) 747-0763 for more information or to set up a consultation.

bad habits harming teeth

Stop This! – Make Your Teeth Live Longer?

Posted on | by mel | 4 Comments on Stop This! – Make Your Teeth Live Longer?

Do You Have These 8 Bad Dental Habits?

bad dental habit dfw tx
bad dental habit dfw tx

Most people do not pay a lot of attention to their teeth – until there is a problem. The problem may become evident through bleeding gums, a toothache, a chipped tooth, or discoloration. The problems that can cause the dental issues are often preventable, like bad habits. Some habits that you want to avoid for better dental health include the following.

 

Eating Ice

A common habit that many people engage in is chewing ice. This is bad for your teeth because ice is hard and it can lead to cracked teeth. 

 

Nail Biting

Nails are also hard, and biting your nails can lead to cracked teeth. The American Dental Association says that it can also lead to some jaw dysfunction because when biting your nails, it keeps your jaw in an extended position. 

 

Playing Sports Without a Mouth Guard

Sports can be rough enough even when you are wearing a mouth guard. Not wearing one in a sport where hard objects, such as a baseball, football, hockey puck, etc., are flying in the air is a good way to lose a tooth, a filling, or chip one. Of course, getting tackled can also inflict dental pain. Mouth guards are easily purchased and can protect your teeth from a lot of problems, or your dentist can make one to custom fit your mouth and teeth. 

 

Pierced Tongues

This popular trend can lead to a number of oral health problems. In addition to accidently biting down on it and cracking a tooth, you can also develop an infection. Your gums may also be damaged by it, which could lead to the loss of teeth.

 

Drinking Soda

As far as taking care of your teeth is concerned, drinking soda is one of the worst things you can do. Sodas are heavily laden with sugar, some containing as much as nine teaspoons in a single can. 

The sugar in soda is bad for teeth because they cause the bad bacteria in your mouth to multiply. When they do, they will produce acids which will cause tooth enamel erosion and promote tooth decay. 

Sodas are acidic beverages that contain two acids that will harm your teeth’s enamel – phosphoric and citric acid. A diet soft drink may not contain the sugar, but the acids in it are stronger than what is found in a regular soda. 

Lemons and other citric fruits also contain a lot of acids. Although there are valuable vitamins in them, you should limit how much you drink. Constantly keeping acid in your mouth is very harmful to your teeth. 

 

Eating Junk Food Snacks

Eating snacks that are laden with sugar is going to lead to cavities. Eating them throughout the day is even worse, because this means that there is a constant stream of sugar in your mouth promoting bacterial growth. This will lead to bad breath – as well as bad teeth. 

Substituting junk food snacks for healthy ones is a better option that can help to promote strong teeth and better health. Eating a Mediterranean diet has been found to promote good dental health, besides having many other good health benefits. It basically consists of eating more fruits and vegetables, along with nuts, fish, and less red meat. 

 

Smoking & Alcohol

Using tobacco in any form is also bad for your teeth – and for almost everything else in your body, too. It can give you problems such as bleeding gums, a sore throat and gums, stained teeth, and may even lead to oral cancer. Treating dental problems is made more difficult, because healing takes longer. 

Alcohol can cause a number of dental problems that will damage your teeth. Whether it is beer or wine, etc., alcohol is acidic and can increase the damage caused by the bacteria in your mouth. Research has shown that as many as 70 percent of people with oral cancer drank alcohol heavily. When you also smoke, it increases the likelihood of getting this disease. Alcoholic beverages, like tea and coffee, will stain your teeth.

 

Ignoring Brushing and Flossing

The best thing you can do for your teeth, besides ignoring bad habits that may hurt them, is to brush and floss daily. It will help you keep your smile beautiful, and will be much cheaper than having to replace teeth at the dentist’s office. 

Teeth should be brushed at least twice a day, and flossed one a day. This will help to remove food particles where bacteria can hide and grow – and produce enamel-destroying acids. 

Drinking water shortly after eating or drinking sweet drinks or foods will help reduce the sugar and acids in your mouth. Doing so will also keep the bacteria levels down. It will also help to cut down the likelihood of developing stained teeth.

If you want to enable your teeth to stay healthy and live longer, it is necessary to stop harmful habits. If your teeth are already damaged and less than beautiful, you can have them repaired and restored to look beautiful again