Wisdom Teeth Recovery
I get a lot of questions from my patients about what to expect after having their wisdom teeth removed and what they can do to make the recovery as easy as possible. It’s important to understand that the answers to these questions can be a big, “It Depends”, based on your age, if your wisdom teeth were impacted, how the surgery went, etc. Keeping that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions about wisdom teeth.
Why do dentists usually recommend you get your wisdom teeth out?
Most people don’t have enough space in their jaw for wisdom teeth. Even the people that do have space generally have a lot of difficulty in keeping the teeth clean and cavity free and eventually end up needing them removed at some point. Your ability to chew effectively isn’t reduced at all if you have your wisdom teeth out and recovery from your wisdom tooth surgery is the easiest in your late teenage years, before the wisdom teeth have erupted all the way into place.
Is there anything I can do before the surgery to help with the pain afterwards?
Some studies have shown that taking Ibuprofen prior to your surgery can actually help reduce pain afterwards. Ask your dentist or surgeon if this is something they would recommend.
Should I be sedated to get my wisdom teeth out?
This is a really personal decision. Some people are just fine being awake for the process but I’ve found that most people, if given the choice, would rather not remember the process. The surgeon will numb you but you still feel the pressure and hear all the noises. If you’re not sure you can handle it being awake, definitely go for the sedation.
Will my cheeks swell up afterwards?
Most people who have impacted wisdom teeth taken out will develop some amount of swelling in their cheeks. This can range from very minor swelling to very large swelling that looks like a chipmunk’s cheeks. Icing the area immediately after surgery can help reduce a lot of this swelling.
How long will my stitches stay in?
Most surgeons use stitches that dissolve on their own so that you don’t have to go back to get them taken out. These stitches usually last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. If you notice your stitches come out early (within the first couple of days), don’t be too concerned. As long as your gum tissue has healed sufficiently to stay in place on it’s own, there is no need for any more stitches. The tissue usually has healed to this level within just a couple of days.
How much pain will I be in?
The pain peaks in the first 24-48 hours after surgery and then drops off significantly after that. The best thing you can do is to take your pain medication on a schedule. If the prescription recommends taking it every 6 hours, then take it every 6 hours at least for the first couple of days. Staying ahead of the pain works far better than letting it get out of control and then taking medication.
Will the pain medication make me drowsy?
Most surgeons will prescribe a narcotic pain medication (usually something containing hydrocodone or oxycodone such as Vicodin or Percocet). These pain medications can definitely make you drowsy and I would not recommend driving or using heavy equipment or power tools while on them. If you would prefer not to take a narcotic, Ibuprofen is the best over the counter option for the pain. You should take 600 to 800 mg every 6 hours and this generally works very well for pain control. Again, you want to take this on a schedule for the first couple of days in order to stay ahead of the pain.
How do I take care of where the teeth came out?
No smoking, no straws, and no spitting. All of these can cause a dry socket (see below). Try to avoid all of them for a minimum of three days and a week would be even better. Other than that, avoid anything acidic or spicy as these can cause a very painful burning sensation. If your surgeon gave you a syringe to irrigate the area, make sure you do that for about a week. This will keep any debris from getting lodged in the socket where the tooth came out.
It was starting to feel better then it started hurting again and I’m afraid it’s infected! What do I do?
It’s pretty rare to have an infection afterwards. What you’ve most likely developed is a dry socket. This is the most common complication of having wisdom teeth out (especially the ones in the bottom jaw). A dry socket is when the blood clot that was in the tooth socket is lost and the bone becomes exposed. This causes pretty severe pain. Dry sockets usually happen 3-5 days after surgery and take anywhere between 1-5 weeks to resolve completely. Most resolve within a week or so with no treatment. Check out our DIY guide on treating a dry socket. If you do end up going back to the surgeon, they’ll likely pack the area with a special medication that should help to reduce the pain. The most important thing to remember with a dry socket is that while it is very painful, it isn’t dangerous to your health in any way and it will go away on it’s own with some time.
My tongue or lip are still numb the day after the surgery!
This is known as a paresthesia. Wisdom teeth are often in close proximity to several of the nerves of your lower jaw. During the surgery these nerves will occasionally become damaged leading to your tongue or lip becoming all or partially numb. It isn’t the fault of the surgeon… it is simply a complication that happens sometimes. 90% of paresthesias will heal on their own within a year or so. The nerve fibers grow back very slowly. In rare cases the paresthesia will last forever.
My jaw is super sore afterwards when I open and close my mouth. Is that normal?
The injection needed in order to get the bottom wisdom teeth numb has to go through a couple of muscles that help open and close the jaw. This can cause some residual soreness for a couple of weeks and is perfectly normal. You can also develop some level of TMJ pain due to being open for a long surgery. Again, this usually resolves on its own.
Pulling Loose Baby Teeth
There comes a point in most parent’s lives when they are faced with a child who has a loose baby tooth but won’t pull it out! It usually hurts and is a big to do! So what do you do? The way I see it you’ve got about three main options.
- Don’t do anything – Most baby teeth will come out on their own eventually. Sure it will hurt until it comes out. This is a normal childhood experience. Use it as a teachable moment?
- Get the dentist to take it out. – Please don’t do this! It is unnecessarily expensive and traumatic for the child. I believe a dentist should only take out a baby tooth when there is a real dental reason to do so (such as in the rare situation that the permanent tooth comes in in a different direction and doesn’t push the baby tooth out).
- You take it out for them… Please don’t tie a string to it and slam a door. My dad literally did this when I was kid. I still remember this vividly and not in a warm fuzzy kind of way! I’m still not sure how I became a dentist after that experience. I’m going to teach you how to do this quickly and effectively. Before you do this, please make sure the tooth is really loose. A good rule of thumb is if the kid can push the tooth back and forth with their tongue then it is about ready to come out.
Step 1: Preparation!
Get some Orajel (or any other topical anesthetic containing 20% benzocaine) and rub it on the gums all around the tooth. Let it sit there for 2 minutes for the best effect. Also, distract your kid with the TV or Ipad or whatever. Whatever your feeling on kids and electronic devices, this is definitely a good use of it. Did you know your kid’s brain on television is the same as if they are hypnotized?
Step 2: Get A Good Hold on the Tooth!
Use a tissue or whatever else works to get a good hold on the tooth. Getting a good hold is the hardest part because baby teeth are so tiny!
Step 3: Twist!
Twist the tooth sharply (you’ve got to commit or this won’t work) clockwise or counterclockwise. If the first turn doesn’t do it, twist the other direction. A truly loose tooth will pop right out as soon as you do this. Whatever you do, don’t pull straight up. This is a sure way to loose your grip on the tooth and not get the tooth out.
Step 4: Admire the shocked look on your kid’s face that the tooth is out already
This is my favorite part. Most kids will look at you in amazement and say “That’s it?!? We should have just done that in the first place!”. I then ask for half of the money from the tooth fairy as payment 🙂
How do I know this will work? Other than being a general dentist, I’m literally an expert baby tooth remover. I’ve got four kids of my own and I’ve probably taken out a thousand baby teeth on other kids in my career. I can pop a baby tooth out in a half second with a good hold and twist!
Orthofill Gap Bands Review
I’m big into DIY dentistry when you can do it safely and effectively. I’ve made it my mission to teach as many people as possible to manage their own oral health when possible! I’ve got a ton of other articles on DIY dentistry all throughout my website! I tell you all this so you’ll listen carefully when I tell you this…
Orthofill gaps bands (or any type of rubberband system) used to close gaps are a REALLY TERRIBLE IDEA. Don’t do it! These bands can slide down below your gumline and cause irreversible damage to your teeth. The change you see from these bands is not sustainable. Gaps, especially in between front teeth, have a very strong tendency to open up again without a proper retainer (usually fixed in place by your dentist). The bands also have this nice way of opening up gaps in between other teeth. Repeat after me one more time… don’t use orthofill gap bands!
Most people with large gaps need to be seen by a dentist or orthodontist. If you are really set on straightening your teeth without a dentist, look at Smile Direct Club. While this system will still struggle to close certain types of gaps, at least there is no chance of permanent damage. You also aren’t out a whole lot of money if their assessment comes back saying it won’t work.
One other way to close your gap is to go to a dentist or orthodontist and ask about limited orthodontic treatment just to close the gap. Most don’t offer this because they like to do comprehensive treatment but there are definitely lower cost and quicker professional options for closing a gap.
Dental Specialists
Occasionally a general dentist will come upon a situation in which they don’t feel qualified to provide adequate treatment. In these situations they’ll refer you to a dental specialist. Dental specialists are people who graduated from dental school and went on to further training that ranges anywhere from 2-6 additional years. There are nine specific dental specialties that are recognized by the American Dental Association . Other countries have a few more or few less recognized specialists.
Recognized Specialties in the United States:
Dental Public Health – These dentists usually have a masters in public health as well as their dental degree and focus on big picture dental and health issues. They often work and teach at dental schools.
Endodontist – These are the root canal specialists. They perform root canals and periapical surgery primarily. Success rates of root canals are much higher on average with an endodontist than a general dentist.
Oral Pathologist – These dentists usually work in hospitals or University systems and examine biopsy tissue samples that check for cancer and other oral disease.
Oral Radiologist – This is another specialty that works primarily in University settings. They are specialists in how all imaging equipment in dentistry works, from simple x-ray machines all the way up to 3D CT scanners and MRI machines. They are also the best qualified to read these scans.
Oral Surgeon – Oral surgeons are best known for extracting teeth (especially wisdom teeth) but are also extremely well qualified to do a wide range of other surgeries in the jaw and midface area. They can handle trauma, cancer, and cases of severe infection as well as certain types of surgeries to realign the jaw. Other than wisdom teeth, their most common procedure is placing dental implants.
Orthodontist – Orthodontists are probably the most well known dental specialists. They specialize in moving teeth with braces and other appliances.
Pediatric Dentist – Pediatric dentists provide dental care to children and are well trained in sedation, behavior management, and dental procedures that are more commonly performed on children.
Periodontist – Periodontists are gum specialists. They handle cases of severe periodontal disease, gum grafting, placing implants, and crown lengthening surgeries.
Prosthodontist – Prosthodontists are specialists in handling cases that are very complex to restore. They do a lot of full mouth rehabilitation and implant based restoration options.
Non-Recognized Specialties
There are some dentist’s that have had additional training in other areas and market themselves as experts in those areas. Some of these should be recognized as specialists but due to politics within organized dentistry, they are not. The challenge with these types of specialties is that some of them don’t have specific requirements as to the training necessary. If you find someone marketing themselves as one of these, pay a little more attention as to the level of their training and experience.
Dental Anesthesiologist – This is the most controversial of all the non-official specialists. This is one that should likely be included in the actual specialists as all programs are administered through Universities/Hospitals, usually as three years of additional training. They have a very specific skill set and can administer anesthesia just as effectively as a medical anesthesiologist. Dental anesthesiology can be especially difficult as many types of sedation require little to no water going down the throat and intubation through the mouth or nose which can make treatment very challenging. Hopefully this specialty will be recognized soon. If someone markets themselves a dental anesthesiologist, you can be pretty sure they are very well qualified to administer any type of sedation safely.
Geriatric Dentistry – These dentist’s focus on the needs of older patients. There is usually an emphasis on managing complex health issues as it relates to dentistry as well as the unique restorative needs of older patients.
Special Needs Dentistry – Patient’s with special needs such as mental retardation (MR), Autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, and many other challenges need special treatment and care at a dental office. Traditionally pediatric dentists have filled this role but some people are starting to develop offices that cater specifically to special needs patients.
TMJ, Sleep Dentistry, and Orofacial Pain Specialist – People with TMJ problems, orofacial pain, and who have a need for oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea generally need a dentist who has significant experience making these appliances and managing these types of problems. These types of problems can be very complex and require a wide body of knowledge. Most general dentists simply don’t see these problems on a consistent enough basis to be able to treat difficult cases effectively.
Veterinary Dentistry – Many pets require extractions, cleanings, and root canals. Some veterinarians and dentist’s provide these services for animals.
Just Names
Lastly there are some titles that dentist’s market themselves under but don’t actually have any specific meaning. Make sure you check into their actual credentials and experience.
Cosmetic dentist – This term generally has no meaning. All general dentist’s are qualified to provide cosmetic care. As with all other areas of dentistry, some dentist’s are far more experienced and can provide a much better service than others. Ask for some photos of their previous work before getting started.
Implant dentist -The people who market themselves as implant dentists can range from those who have taken 12 hour weekend courses and placed a couple of implants total all the way to those who have taken hundreds of hours of continuing education and have placed thousands of implants. Check their experience first.
Dental Anxiety
Dental anxiety and straight up fear of the dentist is an extremely common phenomenon in the dental office. In fact, finding a person who isn’t afraid of dental treatment is quite rare. Not a day goes by that I don’t hear, “No offense, you seem like a really nice guy, but I hate coming to see you!”.
The Most Common Causes of Dental Anxiety
- Big needles in your mouth
- The sound of the drill
- The expectation of pain
- Actual pain
- The feeling of being numb
- Keeping your mouth open for long periods of time
- Discomfort afterwards
- Having to pay for someone to hurt you!
- Being a redhead (for real!). Studies have proven that redheads have an increased sensation of pain and more anxiety associated with it.
What You and Your Dentist Can Do To Improve Your Dental Experience
- Find a dentist you feel comfortable with and who treats you well.
- Get a good night’s sleep before your appointment. If you’ve got to take something to help you sleep, then go ahead and do that. Sleep makes a big difference in your perception of pain as well as anxiety levels.
- Take ibuprofen before you go to the dentist. This helps reduce any discomfort after the procedure is over, especially for extractions.
- Eat a good meal beforehand so you don’t have to eat while numb. It’s no fun to bite yourself while numb.
- Make sure your dentist uses topical anesthetic before giving you the injection. This won’t make it entirely painless but can help quite a bit.
- Try to relax your muscles before the injection. Tense muscles make it hurt more!
- Bring headphones (even better if they’re noise cancelling). Most dentists don’t mind if your wear them during treatment, especially if it makes you more comfortable.
- If you have jaw problems or trouble staying open, ask them to use a mouth prop to help you keep your mouth open. Most dentist’s have these handy.
- Open wide, relax your muscles, try to keep your tongue down, and stay still during the procedure. Your dentist can likely work at least twice as fast and do better work at the same time. The less time in the dentist’s chair the better!
- Close your eyes during the procedure.
- Practice relaxation techniques before your dental visit that include deep breathing and imagining that you are somewhere else. These techniques can actually reduce your sensation of pain and decrease your anxiety level.
Sedation During Dental Treatment
If the previous techniques can’t get you through a dental visit it is time to look at sedation.
- Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. This is the most common form of sedation used in a dental office. It doesn’t put you to sleep but does wonders for reducing your anxiety and decreasing your sensation of pain. It is also the safest form of sedation out there. The only time laughing gas can’t be used is if you are pregnant as there are concerns that it can cause an increased rate of miscarriage.
- Oral medication for anxiety – Typically a dentist will prescribe a benzodiazepine such as Halcion, Xanax, or Valium depending on how long they need it to work for. Occasionally this will be combined with laughing gas for a stronger effect. You need a driver to take you to and from the dental office if you take one of these medications. You also can’t take this medications if you are pregnant.
- IV sedation – Typically you won’t be put all the way under, but far enough that you don’t care about what is going on. The medications used generally cause you to have amnesia about the procedure. IV sedation is usually reserved for very difficult procedures or for people with severe anxiety. This level of sedation can be dangerous and you should consider if the risks are worth it for you.
- General anesthesia – This is the absolute deepest form of sedation (and also the most dangerous). Most general dentist’s won’t administer this level of sedation in the office as it can be very dangerous. Dentist’s who do offer this usually have an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist who administers and monitors it for safety. Oral surgeons usually offer this level of sedation as they have significant training in anesthesia.
Lasers in Dentistry
When I hear the word lasers, the first thing that comes to mind is Star Wars. If only dentistry was as exciting as Star Wars! So now that we all agree on that, let’s see how lasers are changing dentistry and what we have to look forward to in the future. It’s actually some pretty cool stuff, even if you would probably rather be watching Star Wars.
There are several different types of lasers currently in use in dental offices today.
Soft Tissue Lasers (Diode):
This is the typical laser you’ll see in a general office and is also the least expensive costing several thousand dollars. It is only used for cutting soft tissue (ex. gum tissue). This type of laser doesn’t actually use the laser tip to cut tissue. It has a glass fiber than transmits the laser pulse which is charred and then heated up by the laser pulses. It is this heated glass tip that actually does the cutting. It isn’t as efficient in cutting tissue as say a scalpel would be but it makes up for that in the fact that there is little to no bleeding afterwards and the tissue heals beautifully. There are a couple of good applications for this type of laser…
- Frenectomies (for example with tongue ties or a frenum between your top front teeth that contributes to the teeth wanting to spread apart).
- Removing a small amount of gum tissue around a tooth before taking an impression for a crown
- Stopping bleeding
- Reduction in symptoms for cold sores
Combined Hard and Soft Tissue Lasers (Carbon Dioxide, Neodymium Yttrium Aluminum Garnet aka Nd: YAG, and Er:YAG):
These types of lasers are the more cutting edge side of lasers in dentistry. They have the ability to cut both hard and soft tissue as well as some restorative materials. They can cut teeth, bone, and tissue. Each type has a slightly different application and usefulness. These lasers are also currently very expensive costing upwards of $100,000 in some cases. This has limited their adoption significantly. One of the biggest benefits to these types of lasers is that the amount of anesthetic needed to numb a tooth is much more limited and in some cases not needed at all due to laser pulses effects on the nerve. Some current procedures that are performed with these types of lasers include…
- Frenectomies – as explained above
- Gingivectomies – Excess gum tissue is removed for a better esthetic look
- Laser assisted new attachment protocol (LANAP) – Periodontist’s often perform this procedure in which the laser is used to clean the pockets around teeth and in many cases it can help to regrow bone around teeth, which was previously impossible
- Biopsies – Suspicious areas can be easily removed with a laser for evaluation by a pathologist.
- Crown lengthening surgery – Bone is removed around a tooth to allow more space for a crown to be fitted to a tooth.
- Preparation of teeth for cavities – These lasers can be used to remove decay and prepare teeth for fillings. It actually cuts the decayed area more readily due to the increased water content of those areas. It can’t cut amalgam or porcelain but does cut tooth structure and composite filling material.
One of the biggest things that limits the effectiveness of these lasers is that they don’t interact with dental amalgam or porcelain so a conventional dental drill has to be used in these cases. Many, many teeth have one of these materials in them. Until this hurdle is overcome and the price comes down, adoption of these types of lasers will likely be very slow.
I Can’t Afford Dentistry
So what do you do when need dental work but you just can’t afford to get it done? I see this with a lot patients and it can be pretty challenging. There are a couple of ways to approach this.
#1: Prioritize the most important treatment. Ask your dentist which ones are the most likely to cause you pain or get worse so that treatment ends up being more expensive. If possible get these taken care of as soon as possible. If some teeth are so badly broken down that they aren’t going to be saved, you can often wait on these because even if they break more, they still need to be taken out and won’t significantly increase your cost.
#2: Seek out low to no cost dental services. These include free or low cost clinics or dental schools. These places generally have long waits and limited procedures they can do but any care you can get is better than nothing. You will usually find these types of places in mid to large sized cities.
#3: Practice good preventative care. Many cavities can be slowed down significantly or even stopped from progressing by practicing good dental health habits. Read our section on preventative tips for all our best information about what you can do! Also ask your dentist about getting a prescription for a prescription strength fluoride toothpaste like Prevident.
#4: Take a look at your budget and see if everything you’re spending is actually necessary. See if you can cut a couple of things out (like daily coffee from Starbucks) and start putting that money away towards getting some of your dental work done.
#5: Here are a couple more free programs to look into for specific situations…
For Veterans: https://www.aspendental.com/about/healthy-mouth-movement
For Kids: Search for local offices that participate in Give Kids a Smile Day
#6: If you don’t have insurance, ask your dentist about a discount by paying up front. Some dentist’s will be willing to discount your fees in certain situations and it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Why Does My New Filling Feel Weird?
There can be a couple of different reasons why a new filling will feel weird to you…
You’re not used to it…
When get a new filling (or crown, denture, bridge, etc) a lot of times your tongue will go right to it and you get that feeling that something doesn’t feel quite right! Why does this happen and will it go away? At the most basic level, your brain tends to notice when things are different. This is why when you are in a hot shower or hot tub, you initially notice it feels really hot but that sensation slowly fades. It’s not that the temperature has changed, it’s that your brain senses that it is a constant and unchanging stimulus and stops paying attention to it.
It’s the same exact thing in your mouth. Everything that is in there, as long as it doesn’t change, doesn’t warrant your brain paying attention to it for the most part. Once something changes it’s easy to rub your tongue around and notice that it doesn’t feel right. Usually the real problem is that it just feels new. Your existing teeth actually have a lot of “sharp edges that you simply don’t notice because they’ve always been like that.
Usually it takes a couple of days for your brain to adjust to something new in your mouth. Try to avoid playing with it with your tongue as this will prolong the process, especially if you cause some irritation on your tongue. If after a couple of days, you’re still having problems then you may need an adjustment with your dentist. Which brings us to…
Your bite may be off…
When your dentist places a filling they’ll usually check your bite at the very end with a piece of marking paper. Since you’re numb it can be difficult to tell if you’re biting in the right place, biting down at all, or if something feels slightly off. If the filling is left slightly high in any direction, it can make your tooth feel weird or painful. This sensation can range from a very slight feeling of discomfort, to pain while biting, to severe sensitivity to hot and cold. It usually starts out as a “not right” feeling and gets slowly worse over the next couple of days as you bite and chew with it. This sensation usually won’t go away until your dentist adjusts the filling.
The nerve of the tooth is irritated…
Anytime a tooth is drilled on it causes some irritation to the nerve. This irritation can also cause the tooth to feel weird. Some people experience sensitivity to hot and cold afterwards while others experience mild throbbing or pressure in the tooth. Most of the time this goes away within a couple of weeks after having the fillings placed.
If you have severe throbbing pain or severe sensitivity to hot and cold that lasts for several minutes the nerve of the tooth may be irritated beyond repair. In these situations you would need a root canal. Check out our article on how to know if you need a root canal for more information on that topic.
The bond from the filling to the tooth didn’t set up correctly…
This is a pretty rare one but once all the previous reasons have been excluded, your dentist might suspect that the bond to the tooth didn’t set up correctly. White fillings are chemically bonded to your tooth and this bond is very sensitive to the presence of any blood or saliva that is on the tooth. If a got a little contaminated during the process and the bond doesn’t set up correctly then you can have some very strange sensations. Usually there is some sensitivity along with that “something doesn’t feel right” sensation. The only way to fix this is to replace the filling.
Crowns and dentures are a bit of special case…
Crowns can also create some strange sensations due to how they are usually made. You are usually placed in a temporary crown for a couple of weeks prior to having your permanent crown put in. This temporary crown is made of a softer material than your permanent crown is and your brain gets used to biting on this softer surface that has some more “give” to it than a permanent porcelain crown. When that hard porcelain crown goes in, a lot of people struggle with that new sensation for a couple of days. In addition to that new texture and feel, a crown will also make your bite feel slightly different because of the change in materials. Usually you should give yourself about 2-3 days to adjust and if your bite still feels off at that point then have your dentist adjust the bite to a more balanced state.
Dentures are another special case because there is so much new that is happening in your mouth! I find that it takes at least two weeks to get used to a new denture. If you do develop sore spots that are painful or the bite is way off, don’t wait that long. Those areas need to be adjusted before you’ll be able to get used to the feel of the denture.
The Cost of A Cavity
While most people see the cost of a single filling and think, “That’s a lot of money!”, they don’t realize that the lifetime cost of that cavity is going to end up costing them many multiples of that amount. The Data and Analysis Center associated with the Delta Dental Insurance Company studied the lifetime cost a single cavity for different teeth and this is what they came up with…
A single cavity, filled on a molar of a 10 year old, will cost on average $2187 by the time they are age 79.
A single cavity filled on the premolar of a 10 year old, will cost on average $2108 by the time they are age 79.
A single cavity filled on the front tooth of a 10 year old, will cost on average $1788 by the time they are age 79.
I don’t know about you, but that is really a lot of money! The really sad part is that most people don’t end up getting just one cavity… they end up getting 5 or 6 at a time. As you can imagine, over your lifetime this can end up costing a significant amount.
So why the high costs? As soon as tooth is drilled on, it causes a chain reaction of events. No filling material lasts forever and eventually will have to be replaced and always with a slightly larger filling. The larger a filling gets, the more likely the tooth is to crack or break. Every time a tooth is drilled on it damages the nerve which will sometimes end up dying. This leads to more fillings, crowns, root canals, extractions and eventually implants or dentures for replacement.
If you have fillings or even if you don’t, the solution is simple. Practice good preventative care. The longer you can maintain the fillings you have, the more you’re going to reduce the long term cost for the tooth. Our guide on maintaining your dental health has a lot of good tips on things you can do to maintain your dental health long term.
Surprisingly Acidic Foods and Drinks
As a follow up to my last post on foods with a surprising amount of added sugar, we’re now going to look at foods and drinks that have a lot of acid in them. Sugar isn’t the only cause of cavities today. There are so many products that are highly acidic which provide the exact type of environment in your mouth needed for cavities to thrive. Your tooth enamel starts to break down below pH 5.5.
Commonly known acidic foods and drinks
- Citrus fruits including lemons, grapefruits, and oranges.
- Soda’s including both the sugar and sugar-free versions.
- Sour candies
Less commonly known:
- Most other fruits including apples, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, grapes, peaches, pears, pineapples, and plums
- Coffee
- Vinegar based salad dressings
- Vinegar based sauces, especially hot sauces
- Lacto-fermented products like sauerkraut
- Tomatoes
- Tomato sauces
All these foods if consumed too frequently can lead to or speed up the process of tooth decay. It also isn’t uncommon to develop canker sores in your mouth or develop heartburn after eating acidic foods. The easiest way to avoid these problems is to eat these foods in moderation and limit them to mealtimes or one defined snack time during the day.