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- Jan 11, 2004
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OK, I've learned the following things, and please tell me if/where I'm mistaken:
1) The benefit of fluoride is that its presence in the mouth enables some of the fluorides to replace calciums in tooth enamel, and thus the enamel is helped to rebuild itself. This process even has the potential to "heal" some small carious lesions.
2) Fluoride absorption and incorporation into the tooth enamel is facilitated by an acidic environment.
3) An acidic environment is what eats away at tooth enamel to begin with; it's the acid excreted by the oral bacteria which produce (or constitute?) caries in the first place.
4) Oral bacteria thrive in acidic environments and are less able to flourish in neutral or basic environments. The mouth, when left to its own devices and absent huge washes of saliva, tends toward acidity. This is part of the problem for our teeth.
5) Brushing and flossing really well will pretty much get rid of bacteria in the mouth.
6) Brushing and flossing really well will ALSO neutralize any acidic environment in the mouth. Good news on the bacteria front, but not-so-great news on the fluoride front.
7) If you use a fluoride rinse after brushing and flossing really well, the fluoride doesn't really have the optimal environment to work in because your mouth is no longer acidic.
So here's the thing:
What if you:
i) brush and floss really well
ii) rinse with water thoroughly
iii) drink a diet coke
iv) then use fluoride rinse
Would this increase the absorption rate of fluoride to the teeth? If so, could this be a significantly beneficial practice for people to employ? Or am I being silly?
1) The benefit of fluoride is that its presence in the mouth enables some of the fluorides to replace calciums in tooth enamel, and thus the enamel is helped to rebuild itself. This process even has the potential to "heal" some small carious lesions.
2) Fluoride absorption and incorporation into the tooth enamel is facilitated by an acidic environment.
3) An acidic environment is what eats away at tooth enamel to begin with; it's the acid excreted by the oral bacteria which produce (or constitute?) caries in the first place.
4) Oral bacteria thrive in acidic environments and are less able to flourish in neutral or basic environments. The mouth, when left to its own devices and absent huge washes of saliva, tends toward acidity. This is part of the problem for our teeth.
5) Brushing and flossing really well will pretty much get rid of bacteria in the mouth.
6) Brushing and flossing really well will ALSO neutralize any acidic environment in the mouth. Good news on the bacteria front, but not-so-great news on the fluoride front.
7) If you use a fluoride rinse after brushing and flossing really well, the fluoride doesn't really have the optimal environment to work in because your mouth is no longer acidic.
So here's the thing:
What if you:
i) brush and floss really well
ii) rinse with water thoroughly
iii) drink a diet coke
iv) then use fluoride rinse
Would this increase the absorption rate of fluoride to the teeth? If so, could this be a significantly beneficial practice for people to employ? Or am I being silly?
