The Role Saliva Plays in Enamel Decay

The Role Saliva Plays in Enamel Decay

In my previous post I mentioned…

How consuming very acidic drinks - such as lemon juice, soda, tea, and coffee - is the worst thing you can do for your teeth. 

However, though that may be true…

Perhaps the most important factor determining whether you’re at risk for tooth decay is… 

The pH of your own saliva.

Without getting too deep into the details, our saliva is full of good stuff. 

Stuff like…sodium, calcium, potassium, bicarbonates, antimicrobials, cortisol, enzymes, and…

Together, they act to buffer against these destructive acids and to help reduce the harmful bacteria hiding between your teeth. 

And if you’re making your mouth more acidic by consuming too much of the drinks I mentioned above…

The pH in your mouth can change for the worse and potentially speed up the loss of your tooth enamel. 

To make things more difficult, you can’t just get rid of the saliva in your mouth. 

It’s always there, whether or not you want it to be. 

The GOOD NEWS is…your saliva is there for a reason. 

It acts as a buffer against these harmful acids, and…

Helps to reduce the bacterial count inside your mouth. 

But…

If you’re consuming sugary drinks such as juice, sports drinks, and soda, AND also eating lots of carbs…

Then you’re actually INCREASING the bacteria in your mouth!

Why does this matter?

Because it’s the bacteria that is typically at the root cause of tooth demineralization. 

The best thing you can do today to prevent tooth decay…

Reduce your acidic and sugary drink intake as much as you’re comfortable doing, and..

Practice good oral hygiene. 

Lucky for you, we make brushing easy. 

It’s easy to be attractive when you’re using the right tools to keep your mouth clean.