Acids--The Buzz on Coffee

A great question was asked the other day by one of our Facebook friends—How acidic is milk or coffee? Often we think about the acidity of sodas or sports drinks, as depicted in the visual we created to explain why acid matters. Tooth enamel starts to break down at pH 5.5, and the root surface of teeth start to break down at pH 6.5. Most sodas, juices, and sports drinks range from pH 2.4 to 4.0. So how about other drinks that often make their way into our daily routine?

 We did a little research—coffee on average is reported around pH 5 while milk is far more neutral ranging between pH 6 and pH 7. Another beverage to keep in mind is wine, which averages between pH 3 and pH 4. Food also ranges from acidic to more alkaline (basic). For example, lemons are very acid at pH 2 while egg whites are considered basic at pH 8.

Obviously, we aren’t advocating giving up fruit, coffee, and wine forever, but rather suggest that these beverages are treated as treats. Sipping on acidic beverages all day, as opposed to water, perpetuates the cycle of decay. To learn more about this process and how acid impacts your oral health please visit the Wisconsin Dental Association website. They have put together a number of excellent resources including videos that help explain this process.

Thanks for your question! Keep them coming!

Dentures: Fit for Life

Dentures that fit not only add to your enjoyment of life but are essential to maintaining your health. Properly fitting dentures also help support facial muscles and allow for more natural speaking and chewing. There are many types of dentures and options to consider when determining your oral health future. Dental implants placed in the jaw and attached to the denture, for example, help prevent bone loss and improve your ability to chew more naturally.

Financial planning is another very important aspect to consider. Medicare and Medicaid provide little to no dental benefit coverage. Plan ahead to create a treatment plan with your doctor to ensure that you are fit for life.

Sip All Day, Get Decay

Added acid in the food industry comes in basically two forms: phosphoric acid and citric acid. Phosphoric acid is added to all carbonated drinks to preserve the carbonation (the bubbles) until the beverage is opened. Citric acid, which is made and produced as a byproduct of the corn industry, is used as a preservative. To note, we are not talking about citric acid in its natural form--citrus fruits. Although, citrus fruit in the form of juices is just as damaging.

As you may recall, pH is a relative scale we use to indicate acids and bases. A neutral pH is 7 which is for the most part the pH of our bodies. Water is also at a neutral pH. Battery acid is highly toxic at a pH of 1. Most juices, energy drink, sour candies, and sodas range in pH between 2.4 and 4.0. Tooth enamel starts breaking down at a pH of 5.5. The root surface of teeth starts breaking down at a pH of about 6.5.

The Minnesota Dental Association launched a Sip All Day, Get Decay campaign to bring awareness to this issue. The acid in sports drinks, energy drinks, and sodas, whether they contain sugar or not, is the primary cause of weakened tooth enamel. With each sip, acid attacks the teeth for approximately twenty minutes. Consider sipping on water and save those other drinks for a treat!