Learn More From Our Toluca Lake Dentists About Protecting Teeth From Acidic Substances

Written by Dr. McKay on Mar 14, 2017

As you probably already know, the foods and drinks that we consume every day can really impact our teeth over time. One type of dental damage in particular is common and damaging: acid-related dental erosion.

Our Toluca Lake dentists are here with some helpful tips on protecting your smile from acid-related damage. Keep reading to get the information you need to care for your smile day to day.

Acidic substances are harmful to your oral health because they temporarily soften your dental enamel. In the time period when your enamel is soft, it is more susceptible to erosion and thinning.

The first thing that you can do to protect your smile is to limit the amount of acidic substances you consume day to day. This seems pretty simple and straightforward when we’re talking about acidic drinks like wine and soft drinks However, certain good-for-you-foods are quite acidic—like citrus fruits and fruit juices. So what to do in these cases?

When you do eat or drink something acidic, it is best to do so in discrete, short period of time. When you enjoy acidic substances in short sittings, rather than snacking or sipping throughout the day, you minimize the amount of time that your enamel is softened by oral acid.

It is also important to protect your teeth from abrasive tools while your enamel is in a softened state. For example, you’ll want to wait to brush your teeth for at least 30 minutes after you finish eating or drinking something acidic. Same goes for using toothpicks and other dental hygiene tools that manually clean teeth.

Our Toluca Lake dentists are here to give you any additional information and support that you need. Together, we’ll optimize your oral hygiene routine, so that you can enjoy a helathy and attractive smile for years to come.