Ever seen those videos where someone puts a baby tooth in a glass of soda and watches it decay? Well, the effect of soda in an actual mouth is a bit different. You have your saliva to help wash away the sugar, you eat other things throughout the day, and brush at least twice a day to remove debris or plaque. Nevertheless, soda is not something we recommend you consume more often than a once-in-awhile treat. Here’s why:

​Soda has an extremely high sugar content. The bacteria that cause tooth decay feed off of sugar and excrete acid, which is what causes tooth decay. The more sugar our teeth have to interact with, the more prone to decay they will be.

​Think diet soda is a better alternative? Even though it contains zero sugar, it can still contain acids such as phosphoric acid or citric acid. Acid eats away at a tooth’s enamel and leaves it prone to decay.

Caramel color, Yellow 5, etc. Any type of artificial coloring can cause tooth-staining. If you prefer your teeth sparkling white, it’s best to stay away from soda. How about some sparkling water or plain water infused with fresh fruit?

​When you do drink soda, make sure to rinse with water afterwards. And, as always, keep up with regular brushing and flossing to protect those precious teeth!

​When it comes to tooth decay, it’s important to know the main culprit – acid. Acid is what eats away at our enamel and causes cavities. 

Acid can enter our mouths in one of two ways: either directly through what we eat (citrus fruits, for example), or as a byproduct when oral bacteria consume the sugars that we eat. 

​Ultimately, a simple way to identify foods that cause tooth decay is to ask whether it’s acidic or sweet/starchy. 

​Acidic foods include things like citrus fruits, tomatoes, vinegar, kombucha and sour candy. 

​Sweet/starchy foods include things like candy, soda or sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit, bread, cereal, pasta and crackers. 

​For example, sipping on soda throughout the day, or chewing a gooey caramel treat, increases the amount of sugar that coat your teeth. Bacteria love to feast on this sugar, creating an acidic environment and putting your teeth at risk for decay. 

To help protect your teeth against tooth decay:

•  Reduce your consumption of sweets and refined starches
•  Enjoy acidic foods in moderation or as part of a meal
• Decrease or eliminate your consumption of soda or sugar-sweetened beverages
• Swish with water after meals and snacks
• Maintain good oral hygiene to brush away plaque buildup (floss at least once a day and brush twice a day)

​And, as always, make sure to visit us regularly so we can remove tartar buildup and assess for early signs of decay.  We recommend visiting Bupperts Doran's Chance Farm, http://www.bupperts.com/ for your healthy eating needs.

We love our patients, so we’d be more than happy to see you every day! Alas, we realize that’s not really possible, so here are some more realistic guidelines for making appointments.

In general, it all depends on your oral health status and your health history.

For most patients, the optimal frequency to visit the dentist is twice a year. Between your visits, enough tartar and plaque can build up to require a dental check-up and cleaning, especially if your dental hygiene isn’t as rigorous as it should be. 

Our Dental Hygienists are great at scheduling you before you leave.  This year we are working to expand our office to get you in easier and keep those smiles happy.  You can always request appointments on Facebook or right here on our website too!

For others with gum disease, a genetic predisposition for plaque build-up or cavities, or a weakened immune system, you’ll need to visit more frequently for optimal care.

Depending on where you fall in those categories, we will prescribe the necessary frequency to keep your optimal health.  We recommend checking your Patient Connect 365 account to update your communication preferences.  If you or your child recently became an adult (18), please provide a unique email address and contact information.

It’s important to keep your routine visits with us so that:
• We can check for problems that you might not see or feel.
• We can find early signs of decay (decay doesn’t become visible or cause pain until it reaches more advanced stages).
• We can treat any other oral health problems found (generally, the earlier a problem is found, the more manageable it is).

There you have it! Those are the brass tacks for how often you should schedule an appointment.

​But don’t let this keep you from stopping in and saying hi whenever you’re in the neighborhood! We love seeing your smile!

One day a patient grabbed me into a big hug when I walked into the lobby and thanked me for helping her work out financially how she can take care of her treatment and especially for being so patient with her. I had been having a rough day and the thoughtfulness of this patient moved me to tears.  ​