Effects of Soda on Your Teeth

Soda, or pop, can be a tasty beverage, especially when we pair it with a hot day or our favorite food. However, just because it tastes good does not mean that it is something we can indulge in anytime we want, the truth is that pop can be harmful for your teeth.

No matter what you call the beverage, the drink has the same effect on your pearly whites. Soft drinks have proven themselves to be a good source of tooth decay, which can impact people of any age, not just the elderly. The sugar and acid in the soft drinks can be a cause of softening tooth enamel, w
hich can lead to cavities and sensitive teeth. Drinking soft drinks, along with a poor oral hygiene habit, you can experience some poor oral health.

Statistics from 2013 say that nearly 80 percent of youth, children and teens, consume at least one soft drink a day (that can be cans, bottles, cups, etc). Some reports have mentioned that some teens drink as much as 12 pops a day.

What can you do to help resolve the consumption of so much pop?

• Swap the soft drinks for other beverages like water, 100% juice, milk, etc. Go for things that are more natural and have less sugar and acid. If you are a parent, then you can partake in this venture as well, encourage your kids to do it as well. If you are drinking more natural, teeth friendly beverages, then your teeth will look and feel a lot better. 
• Rinse your mouth with water. If you enjoy a soft drink now and then, that is fine. However, after you finish, try rinsing your mouth out with some water to rid your mouth of the sugars that try to attach to your teeth. Also, this will rinse out the acid that can have long exposures on your teeth. 
• Brush your teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride and use an oral rinse. The fluoride in your toothpaste (and possibly even the rinse) will help strengthen the enamel and reduce chances of cavities. 
• Get fluoride applied to your teeth by your dentist. If you stop at your dentist's office, they can apply fluoride to your teeth in the form of gel, foam, or rinse. 

If you have any questions, then contact Rubino Dentistry - a Park Ridge dentist. As a dentist in Chicagoland, I see a lot of patients and we make sure each patient gets quality care and attention. We rarely make our patients wait for their appointment. 

Basic Dental Terminology

A lot of the words that we use to describe teeth and the mouth as dentists are much more complicated than the ones that are used by non-dentists. So what are some of these words that make up dental terminology?

• Human dentition: this means the teeth that are located in the lower and upper jaws. So, when you hear or read this word, it basically means all your teeth. 
• Maxillae: this is the upper jaw. 
• Maxillary teeth: these teeth are part of the maxillae that are the arch, so they are in the front. 
• Mandible: this is the lower jaw. 
• Mandibular teeth: These teeth are located on the lower jaw. 
• Primary dentition: this is the first group of teeth we get as humans. They are commonly called "baby teeth" and there are 20 of them. 
• Permanent dentition: this is the second group of teeth we get as humans. They are commonly called our "adult teeth" and there are 32 of them. 
• Posterior: this is the area that is towards the back of the mouth. 
• Anterior: this is the area towards the front of the mouth. 
• Mesial: this is the middle, or midline. 
• Distal: This is away from the midline of your mouth. 
• Buccal: This is the cheek area of your mouth. 
• Lingual: This is the tongue area. 
• Facial: This is the area that is on your cheek or lip side of your mouth. 
• Palatal: This is the tongue side of your maxillary teeth. 
• Occlusal: This is the area of the mouth that are the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. 
• Incisal: This is the area of the mouth that are the biting surfaces of your front teeth. 

Now, you may not be a dentist in Park Ridge like me but at least now you know some basic dental terminology. 

Common Oral Diseases

Oral diseases can be rather bothersome and preventable. For most of them, they are caused or at least enabled by the lack of proper oral care. So what are some of the common oral diseases?

Note: these are not in order of most common to least or vice versa.

The first one is gingivitis. You may also know this by the name, "gum disease" and it is one of the most common diseases for people to get. Some common risk factors for gingivitis include: general illness, poor/lack of dental hygiene, pregnancy, and uncontrolled diabetes. Gingivitis is a form of periodontal disease and is an inflammation and infection of the gums and oral tissues. It can harm the support of your teeth such as the gums, ligaments, and sockets. It comes from plaque deposits that have been around a while.

Another common disease is the next stage of gum disease, periodontitis. This is the inflammation and infection of the teeth ligaments and the bones that support the teeth. It can reach this stage by not treating gingivitis or delaying in treating it for too long. This can result in the loss of teeth and that can require dental implants if the jaw is still in good enough condition, or, if it is not, then you will need dentures.

One of the bigger diseases you can get is oral cancer. This often forms in the lips or the tongue but can also happen in the cheek lining, floor of the mouth, gums, or roof of the mouth. Typically, oral cancers are called squamous cell carcinomas. This cancer can spread rather quickly. Common causes of it are tobacco (especially chewing tobacco) and excessive alcohol consumption; other causes include: chronic irritation from things like rough teeth, dentures, etc, HPV, medications that weaken the immune system, and poor dental health.

One that sounds rather unpleasant is trench mouth. What is it? It is a rather painful infection caused by bacteria that creates swelling and ulcers in the gums. Why is it called that? Well, it was rather common for soldiers to get when fighting in the trenches of World War I. Common causes include: emotional stress, poor dental hygiene, poor nutrition, smoking (and chewing tobacco), and oral infections. This disease tends to affect people between the ages of 15-35.

A fifth common oral disease are mouth ulcers. Just like ulcers in your digestive system, these are sores or open lesions, except they are in the mouth. Common causes and risk factors include: canker sores, Gingivostomatitis, herpes simplex, Leukoplakia (do not confuse with leukemia), oral cancer, oral lichen plans, and oral thrush.

If you have any questions, then contact Rubino Dentistry - a Park Ridge dentist.