What drink is best for teeth?

cepheus

Yes I meant something not too corrosive during meals really. I only drink tea and coffee at other times! Unfortunately my avoidance of sugar free drinks such as Diet Coke/Pepsi may have made my teeth far worse. I don't think they should be allowed to market drinks of 2 and 3 PH.

I have some Bicarb, do you put this in the drink?

brook2jack

Milk from animals does not contain sugars which will cause decay (human breast milk can if left to pool long enough) and it neutralises acids. Indeed a good dental health, tip is to have a piece of cheese to finish a meal/ snack with as it neutralises acid.

Plain fizzy water with no additives at all probably doesn't cause a problem, but many commercial brands have citric acid etc added which is a problem.

Water, milk, tea possibly coffee with no sugar. There is no magic tooth friendly sweet tasting thing that won't damage health. Oh and beware fruit and herbal teas. Very acidic and alot are high in sugars except camomile.

brook2jack

You should be looking at what you eat and brushing habits eg don't brush for at least an hour after eating /drinking.

I would imagine that the bicarbonate is like eating a piece of cheese at the end of the meal. You rinse out with it.

Advice about using a straw is good as problems are often with swishing drinks through teeth.

cepheus

Here is the view of the American dental association on brushing teeth, they recommend a mouthwash!

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/brushing-your-teeth/AN02098

brook2jack

No they dont! They recommend brushing, flossing,diet control and consulting your dentist to see if you need a therapeutic mouthwash. As most mouthwashes on the Market are cosmetic they are useless and as many of the therapeutic mouthwashes eg corsodyl have side effects if used for more than a short time , it is important that you only use a mouthwash if advised to .
Quote from the Ada website "Your dentist can advise you whether you need a mouthrinse depending on your oral health needs. Rinsing helps remove debris from the mouth. It can be done before or after brushing, but it is not a substitute for brushing or flossing. You may consider, or your dentist may recommend, using a mouthrinse with fluoride or antimicrobial agents as part of your daily oral hygiene routine.

If you have difficulty brushing and flossing, a mouthrinse may provide additional protection against cavities and periodontal (gum) disease. Anti-cavity rinses with fluoride help protect tooth enamel. Dentists may prescribe special rinses for patients who have had periodontal surgery."

You may wish to factor in the ADA earns money from accrediting mouthwashes.

cepheus

Well this is what it said in the link

"Brushing your teeth alone can't remove all of the decay-causing plaque. The American Dental Association also recommends using an antimicrobial mouth rinse plus flossing daily between your teeth to get rid of food particles and minimize plaque and bacteria."

brook2jack

The link is from a commercial healthcare provider. My quote is direct from the ADA website on mouthwashes.

The simple answer is ask your dentist. It is very easy to get a variety of misleading answers off the Internet, many of which echo outdated practice. The only source on healthcare you should trust is the person who can actually see you and is in charge of your care. Most dentists are anti mouthwash for most patients apart from those with particular needs ie dry mouth, medically compromised.

Mouthwash interfers with the surfactants(cleaning agents) in toothpaste and after brushing you should not rinse with anything including water. Spit don't rinse as it washes the fluoride away which works best when left in contact with the teeth.

cepheus

I am usually reasonably careful when quoting and checked it was written by a qualified professional. Looking at the ADA website I would have intepreted it much the same as he suggested, but we can quibble whether it is an actual recommendation.

Antimicrobial mouth rinses and toothpastes reduce the bacterial count and stop bacterial activity in dental plaque, which can cause gingivitis, an early, reversible form of periodontal (gum) disease. ADA-Accepted antimicrobial mouth rinses and toothpastes have substantiated these claims by demonstrating significant reductions in plaque and gingivitis. Fluoride mouth rinses help reduce and prevent tooth decay. Clinical studies have demonstrated that use of a fluoride mouth rinse and fluoride toothpaste can provide extra protection against tooth decay over that provided by fluoride toothpaste alone

http://www.ada.org/2624.aspx

Personally, I have never used a mouthwash because of the potential acidity. My first link regarding the enamel test should indicate how dangerous particular PHs are, that's why I originally mentioned mouthwashes, as a comparison with drinks, not as a recommedation for one.

brook2jack

Quote again" Your dentist can advise you whether you need a mouthrinse depending on your oral health needs. Rinsing helps remove debris from the mouth. It can be done before or after brushing, but it is not a substitute for brushing or flossing. You may consider, or your dentist may recommend, using a mouthrinse with fluoride or antimicrobial agents as part of your daily oral hygiene routine.

If you have difficulty brushing and flossing, a mouthrinse may provide additional protection against cavities and periodontal (gum) disease. Anti-cavity rinses with fluoride help protect tooth enamel. Dentists may prescribe special rinses for patients who have had periodontal surgery."

From http://www.ada.org/1319.aspx

The advice is you MAY need mouthwash, consult your dentist who MAY advise a therapeutic mouthwash. That's alot different from you MUST use mouthwash.

cepheus

Anyway getting back to the subject, has anyone any idea which is the 4.3 PH no sugar version mentioned here? http://www.21stcenturydental.com/smith/pH_drinks.htm


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Root-Beer-35.../dp/B003TL1ZV0

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diet-Root-Be..._sim_grocery_4