tooth enamel

Can Kombucha Kill Healthy Smiles?

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Categories: Oral Health

If you are one of the many people who have jumped on the kombucha trend in recent years, you may want to think twice about how you drink the trendy fermented tea drink. That’s because, according to recent studies, kombucha – for all its purported health benefits – may be bad for your teeth.

Before we get into the why, let’s take a step back and look at what – what is kombucha, exactly?

Kombucha is a fermented black tea drink that is made by fermenting sugared tea with yeast and bacteria. This creates something called acetic acid and osmophilic yeast, which are probiotics. If you haven’t already heard of probiotics, they’re tiny microorganisms that boast some pretty big health benefits. So when you drink something like kombucha that is chock-full of probiotics, you’d think you’d be gaining some of those benefits, right?

Well, not so fast. For all the supposed medical claims made about kombucha (it has been said that it treats everything from AIDS to diabetes and cancer), there is no proof it helps with any of these conditions. Not only that, but thanks to its acid level, it’s dangerous for your teeth – and some say worse than soda!

But before you pour your cup down the drain, there are some things you should consider.

First, if you like kombucha and feel like the probiotics are helping you, continuing to drink it probably won’t hurt you – provided you protect your teeth. If you are going to continue with kombucha, keep in mind that the acid in the beverage is harmful, and act accordingly. When you do drink it, make sure you drink water either while you are drinking your kombucha or immediately after drinking it. Also, experts recommend you drink your kombucha quickly, as this will minimize the amount of time it is in your mouth and subsequently on your teeth.

As with any acidic food or beverage, make sure you do not brush your teeth immediately after drinking kombucha. The acids in the drink can soften the tooth enamel and leave it vulnerable to permanent scratching from your toothbrush. Rinse with water, and then wait at least 30 minutes before brushing so your tooth enamel has time to re-harden.

If you have any questions or concerns about drinking kombucha or other probiotic beverages, speak to your doctor or call Dr. Lesko at 970-221-5115.

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526

UK Man Attributes Mouth Damage to Energy Drinks

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Categories: Oral Health

The energy drink market is booming in the United States, with over $20 billion in sales annually (that’s over 29 billion gallons of energy drink!). But at least one fewer consumers in the United Kingdom will likely be drinking the potent beverages after the damage he says they caused to the inside of his mouth.

The man, Dan Royals, is a teacher who, like countless others, relied upon energy drinks for a quick pick-me-up. By his own estimates, Royals claimed to drink upwards of six energy drinks a day. But all that stopped when Royals says he noticed the flesh on his tongue being “eaten away” by the drinks. Royals, who also smokes, says he takes care of his oral hygiene but does not believe the damage to his tongue was caused by smoking.

Energy drinks claim to pack a wallop of energy without having to rely on traditional caffeine like coffee or soda. Touted as healthier alternatives, these beverages are full of sugar and caffeine, too. Worse yet, they are often highly acidic.

Dr. Allison Lesko is a dentist from Fort Collins, Colorado. She says all that acid can be bad for not just the tongue, but the teeth, too.

“The acid found in energy drinks can often be higher than the levels found in coffee and soda, and that can easily cause excessive damage and wear to tooth enamel,” she says.

As if that weren’t bad enough, recent studies have shown that when mixed with alcohol, energy drinks increased instances of impaired judgment such as the desire to drive while intoxicated. Studies from 2007 and 2011 have even linked energy drinks to an increased number of emergency room visits by persons who consumed the beverages both with and without alcohol or other substances.

Worse yet, the market for energy drinks is largely unregulated, despite the beverages’ growing popularity – especially among young people and millennials. Some data suggests that a full 61 percent of millennials indulge in these peppy drinks from time to time, a move experts believe is due in no small part to many millennials trying to stick with “all-natural” products.

“The problem is, there isn’t really much natural about these drinks,” says Lesko. “So consumers think they’re getting a healthier alternative when what they’re really getting is more of the same – and damaged tooth enamel, to boot.”

If you really can’t quit your energy drink habit, Lesko says there are ways to limit the amount of damage they do to your teeth.

“If you really must indulge, do so responsibly. Don’t mix energy drinks with alcohol, and when you’re done, wash your mouth out with water,” she says. “But whatever you do, don’t brush your teeth immediately after drinking because this can damage your tooth enamel even more. Wait at least 30 minutes after drinking before brushing so your enamel has a chance to reharden. Otherwise you could permanently scratch it.”

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526