Take a Quiz on your Tooth Enamel

Tooth enamel may be touted as the second hardest substance on the planet, but are you aware that this makes your dental enamel the hardest thing in your body. With such an incredible title, you might think that your teeth are the superheroes of your body – darn near impenetrable. Unfortunately, damage to your tooth enamel is quite common, leading to what is known to most as cavities. If you are trying to avoid tooth decay and other dental issues, you may want to ask yourself with knowledge about the outer protection to your teeth that you were born with.

Questions

Q1. True or false – A research study published in the journal General Dentistry examined that sports and energy drinks can be highly damaging to tooth enamel.

Q2. True or false – Once tooth enamel is softened, it is damaged forever.

Q3. True or false – Tooth enamel is harder than diamonds.

Answers

A1. TRUE – Researchers from Southern Illinois University School of Dentistry experimented on tooth enamel samples. The enamel was soaked in either sports or energy drinks for a period of 15 minutes. After that, they were switched to a solution that simulated saliva, and left there for two hours. This process simulated the act of drinking a sports or energy drink four different times over a five day period. Some brands and flavors were more acidic than others, but all of the drinks proved to be damaging to tooth enamel.

A2. FALSE – Not necessarily so. If you drink a beverage, for example, that is highly acidic and softens your tooth enamel, the protective outer layer will re-harden in about a 30 minute period. The key is not to brush your teeth right away, as the abrasive bristles and toothpaste could cause permanent damage to softened enamel. Rinse your mouth with water immediately, however, to remove as much sugar and acid as possible while you wait for tooth enamel to restore it’s hardness.

A3. FALSE – Diamonds are the one substance on earth that are actually harder than enamel.

ABOUT YOUR TUCSON, AZ, GENERAL DENTIST

Dirk A. Newman, DDS, offers a full range of modern dental care services, including general dentistry, smile enhancement, smile restoration, and implant dentistry. To learn more, contact us today to schedule a visit by calling our office at 520-296-5439. Located in Tucson, AZ, we proudly serve patients from Tucson and all surrounding communities.