In recent times, whitening one’s teeth seems to have become increasingly popular. Evidently, study experts are now in the midst of uncovering if there may be any harmful effects on the tooth which may have occurred while applying whitening products. It was stated that orange juice noticeably seems to have lessened the hardness and may perhaps have even raised the roughness of the tooth enamel. Supposedly, experts from the Eastman Institute for Oral Health, part of the University of Rochester Medical Center have worked on this study.
YanFang Ren, DDS, PhD, along with his team was believed to have stated that the outcome of 6 percent hydrogen peroxide seemed to be trivial as compared to acidic fruit juices. Allegedly, hydrogen peroxide is a frequent ingredient in professional and retail whitening products.
For the first time, experts were believed to have noticed extensive surface features all because of a novel focus-variation vertical scanning microscope. It was observed that the damaged and worn out enamel may add to the wear of the tooth and may perhaps increase the possibility for tooth decay to rapidly grow and multiply.
Ren has said that, “The acid is so strong that the tooth is literally washed away. The orange juice decreased enamel hardness by 84 percent.” However, no significant alteration in the hardness or surface enamel appears to have been found from whitening.
“Most soft drinks, including sodas and fruit juices, are acidic in nature. Our studies demonstrated that the orange juice, as an example, can potentially cause significant erosion of teeth,” further added Ren. From early times it has been stated that juices and sodas seem to have high acid content which could harm the enamel hardness.
“There are also some studies that showed whitening can affect the hardness of dental enamel, but until now, nobody had compared the two,” Ren explained. “This study allowed us to understand the effect of whitening on enamel relative to the effect of a daily dietary activity, such as drinking juices.”
According to the experts, the enamel whitening appears to be a grave problem for people who seem to sip fruit juices and sodas on a daily basis. However, it was believed that dental experts all over the country seem to be increasingly studying tooth erosion. They were noted to have spent considerable resources for potential preventions and treatments.
In addition Ren has stated that, “We do not yet have an effective tool to avert the erosive effects, although there are early indications that higher levels of fluoride may help slow down the erosion.”
For the time being, experts have recommended that consumers should be attentive of the acidic nature of fruit juices, sodas and energy drinks. It was believed that if teeth are in contact with the acidic drinks for an extended period of time then the rate of erosion may perhaps be higher. It was noted that people who consume their drinks slowly for nearly 20 minutes may have greater chances of experiencing tooth erosion than those who finish their drink rapidly.
Additionally, it’s very crucial to maintain good oral hygiene practices. These practices could be achieved by brushing two times daily with fluoride toothpaste, and if one seems to be at risk then they should visit a dentist for a fluoride treatment at least once a year.