 |
|
|
 | SAFEST SOFT DRINK FOR YOUR TEETH
Love an icy cold soft drink? Then choose a root beer. Of all types of soft drinks and canned teas, this one does the least damage to your teeth.
Researchers from the dental school of the University of Maryland, Baltimore determined that non-cola soft drinks, including Canada Dry ginger ale, Mountain Dew, and Sprite, as well as canned iced tea are much harder on teeth enamel than any other kind of canned drink, due in large part to acidic flavor additives, such as malic acid or tartaric acid, reports Medical News Today. Root beer has the least additives, making it the least erosive soft drink for your teeth.
The study:
For 14 days the researchers exposed healthy dental enamel to a variety of popular soft drinks, including Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Dr. Perpper, Sprite, Canada Dry ginger ales, and canned Arizona Iced Tea.
The results:
- All of them weakened and permanently destroyed the tooth enamel.
- Diet sodas had the same bad effect as the sugared versions since the main culprit is the acidic additives.
- The most harmful were non-cola drinks, which caused two to five times the damage as darker cola drinks.
- Root beer, which contains the least amount of flavor additives, was found to be the "safest soft drink to safequard dental enamel."
- Canned iced tea caused 30 times the damage to tooth enamel as brewed tea or coffee.
- Brewed black tea, root beer, coffee, and water had a minimal effect.
Adding to the problem is our own mouth acidity. If that increases, the chemical reaction with the soft drink hurts our teeth even more, according to lead study author J. Anthony von Fraunhofer. The end result: tooth decay. One thing you can do to protect your teeth is to rinse your mouth with water after drinking a soda.
The study results were published in the General Dentistry, the newsletter of the Academy of General Dentistry. |
| Tea For Tooth
Let's talk tea, the world's other caffeine drink. Tea has the same mood-elevating effets as coffee (thanks to caffeine), and like chocolate, it has the muscle stimulant theobromine. But that's only the beginning of tea's greatness. It seems to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and lower the risk of heart disease and cancer. Most of this good stuff is due to the antioxidants that occur naturally in both green and black tea. But did you know that some of the compounds in tea may actually kill the bacteria that get a cavity rolling? It's true! We're telling the tooth: the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth! The tea chemicals may prevent acid-generating bacteria from sticking to your teeth and gnawing at the surface. No sticking. No cavities. No kidding! |  |
|  | The Memory Teeth Connection
Swedish scientists discovered a fascinating connection between one's memory and teeth.
As it turned out, people who for some reason lost several of their teeth appear to be less prone to recall their most recent activities. According to the scientists, teeth are not meant for the sole purpose of grinding food. Apparently, teeth also help maintaining our brain functions, reported one of the authors of the research, professor of the University of Umea, Dentist Ian Begdahl.
In case a tooth fell out by itself, for instance, as a result of an illness, that isn't disastrous in any way. What really can traumatize one's memory is purposeful tooth extraction. If that is the case, this really starts to affect one's memory. Not so long ago, Japanese scientists established a direct correlation between one's memory capacity and the overall amount of teeth, while experimenting with chimps and rats.
"While carrying out their experiements on animals, our Japanese colleagues managed to prove that whenever a dentist extracts a tooth, he also pulls out the nerve that stretches to the brain", explained Begdahl. The researchers themselves were stunned by the results. Who could have ever thought that each visit to a dentist can deprive a person of a tiny bit of memory!
Now Swedish scientists have conducted their experiment on people. 1962 individuals between 35 and 90 participated in the study. It was determined that just like in the case with animals, human memory potential decreased with every molar that had been pulled out.
Dentists from the University of Umea now face another task of determining the affects of cavities and artificial teeth on human memory. In addition, they hope to find out what exact amount of extracted teeth affects one's memory functions the most. Finally, it would be interesting to learn whether weakminedness associated with age has anything to do with teeth falling out. Perhaps, Swedish doctors will be able to provide their answers in foreseeable future.
PRAVDA.Ru 11/01/2004
|
| Xylitol ..... the super sweetener!
Xylitol, a natural sweetener that can be used by the general population seeking a healthier lifestyle, is typically manufactured from birch trees or other natural xylan-rich sources. |  |
|  | Found in other natural sources, such as fruits and vegetables, Xylitol is a familiar sweetener in sugar-free products such as chewing gum, mints, chocolate, syrups, chewable tablets, toothpaste, mouthwashes, mouth sprays, mouth wipes, and dietetic and diabetic foods. |
| Dental Benefits of Xylitol
Despite the improvement in dental health achieved through the use of fluoride, caries incidence is still widespread and cause for concern in many countries. Decreasing sugar intake and finding practical means of combating its detrimental effects remains a priority in controlling the incidence of caries.
One way to achieve this goal is to provide confectionery sweetener with dentally safe sugar substitutes. Xylitol is particularly recommended for this purpose since in addition to not causing cavities it actually:
- Helps reduce the development of cavities (dental caries) and gum inflammation in the mouth up to 80%.
- Has 40% less calories than sugar.
- Has a good taste with no unpleasant aftertaste.
- Resists fermentation by oral bacteria.
- Reduces plaque formation by causing the bacteria to lose the ability to adhere to the tooth, stunting the cavity causing process.
- reduces tooth destroying acids, and plaque is more easily brushed and rinsed out of the mouth.
- Increases salivary flow to aid in the repair of damaged tooth enamel (remineralization).
- Has been shown in early studies to contribute to increased bone density, weight loss, stabilization of blood sugars and lowering of insulin levels.
- Compliments fluoride in oral hygiene products.
| |
|  | mmm..............CHOCOLATE!!
Looking for an excuse to eat chocolate?
Many dental professionals agree that raisins can cause more tooth decay than chocolate. Sticky foods, such as raisins and dried fruit, can stay longer and cause more decay.
|
| Want to cure bad breath?
Mouthwash, sugarless gum, and tongue screappers are some modern remedies, but Thomac Vicery, a surgeon from the early 17th century, had a more unique suggestion:
"Wash the mouth with water and vinegar. Chew mastic (a tree resin used as an astringent), then wash the mouth again with a decoction of annis seeds, mints and cloves soaked in wine." |  |
|  |
NEWS FLASH.... Grapefruit kills virus!
Grapefruits aren't just for breakfast anymore. According the researchers at Pace University, grapefruit extract in toothpaste can kill oral viruses. The researchers also noted that adding aloe, zinc, and grapefruit extract to mouthwash and toothpaste kills viruses in the oral cavity, and thus eliminates their passage into the body. |
|
| |
|
 |
