You may have seen toothpastes in your local grocery store or drugstore advertising their ability to treat problems like dental erosion and hypersensitivity. According to your dentist in Vero Beach, now is not the time to fall for such marketing tactics. New research coming out of the University of Bern in Switzerland shows that people using toothpastes for these reasons are in for a rude awakening.
To find out what really matters when preventing dental erosion, keep reading.
Overview of the Study
The study out of Switzerland involved close examination of eight different toothpastes advertising anti-erosive and/or desensitizing toothpastes, as well as one control toothpaste. To test the toothpastes, they simulated the effect of brushing once a day along with exposure to an acid for 5 consecutive days. They also used premolars donated for scientific purposes, artificial saliva, and an automatic brushing machine.
With these tools combined, they could measure how much tooth enamel was lost when using the toothpastes in question. This was completed through a microhardness test. They also performed a physical analysis on the toothpastes to determine how much they differed in protecting enamel.
The Conclusion
After completion, the researchers found that none of the toothpastes showed capabilities of mitigating enamel surface loss nor protection against enamel erosion and abrasion. In fact, the toothpastes in question did quite the opposite. After five days of testing, the toothpastes all caused some form of enamel surface loss to occur.
According to Joao-Souza, a Ph.D. scholar and first author of the study, reducing dental erosion is not something that can be prevented with toothpaste alone. “Dental erosion is multifactorial. It has to do with brushing, and above all, with diet. Food and drink are increasingly acidic as a result of industrial processing,” he said.
Professor Ana Cecilia Correa Aranha, the supervisor to Joao-Souza and co-author of the article for the study went on to explain the real cause of dental erosion. “[Patients] come to the clinic with the complaint that they have caries, but actually, the problem is caused by dentin exposure due to improper brushing with a very abrasive toothpaste, for example, combined with frequent consumption of large amounts of acidic foods and beverages.”
How to Actually Prevent Dental Erosion
According to your dentist in Vero Beach, the best way to prevent dental erosion is to manage your diet. You’ll need to avoid foods and beverages that are either very sugary or acidic, including:
- Lemon Juice
- Sports drinks
- Wine
- Soda
- Cherries
- Oranges
- Tonic water
Besides brushing and flossing, you’ll want to replace acidic beverages with plain water. You’ll also want to consume foods rich in phosphorus and calcium which protect tooth enamel and aid the process of remineralization. They include:
- Cheese
- Yogurt
- Meat
- Fish
- Tofu
- Leafy greens
Additionally, make sure you’re not using a toothpaste that contains several abrasive agents. Consider purchasing a soft-bristled toothbrush and make sure you aren’t brushing with too much force or for longer than three minutes.
According to your Vero Beach dentist, brushing and flossing is only half the battle. Schedule an appointment with them today to learn more about building a diet that promotes healthy enamel!
About the Author
Dr. Adam Jones earned his doctoral degree from the University of Florida in 2011. Since then, he’s been helping his patients practice proper at-home oral care that doesn’t cause unintended enamel wear. To learn more tips on protecting your teeth or about his practice, contact him at (772) 234-5353 or visit his website.