PH is a measure of how acidic something is. You may have already known that PH is of utmost importance for your health. However, do you know that PH also significantly impacts your oral health? A question arises: What is PH? pH is called the power of hydrogen. It’s a measure of hydrogen concentration in a solution. Higher the hydrogen concentration, lower the pH, and the solution will be acidic. The inverse goes for alkaline solutions, denoted by a high pH value.
The pH of Your Mouth:
the pH of our mouth and saliva is 5.5, almost neutral. Problems may arise when the pH of the saliva falls and the whole oral environment becomes acidic. This happens mainly because of our diet. You can make saliva acidic directly by consuming acidic beverages and foods.
Other than that, the mouth can become acidic indirectly by consuming high amounts of carbohydrates and sugars. Bacteria in the mouth love to feed on the sugars and carbs you intake. While digesting these, bacteria release lactic acid. The release of lactic acid as the byproduct makes the saliva acidic.
Why is Acidic pH bad news?
The mouth’s pH is not up to the mark, but what’s the big deal? Turns out it’s a big deal for your teeth. The acidic environment nurtures cavities causing bacteria and weakening the enamel by demineralization. Demineralization means the removal of minerals from the enamel, leaving it weak and porous. A weak enamel is most vulnerable to decay, and with an acidic environment supporting bacterial growth, tooth decay is speedy and inevitable.
These bacteria also attack gums resulting in periodontal disease. However, that’s not all; saliva needs a pH of around six to work efficiently. Lowering the pH will feature salivary proteins causing their efficiency to plunge.
Consequently, an alkaline oral pH can halt or slow down the growth of cavities. Furthermore, an alkaline environment promotes the growth of probiotics or good bacteria. These bacterial colonies keep the population of harmful bacteria in check.
How to maintain a neutral mouth pH?
We know that an acidic mouth is a deal-breaker, so we must try to prevent that from happening at all costs. Here is how you can do that:
Eat Vegetables: we can’t keep vegetables out of the equation. They are great for your general health, but they also keep pH in check. For a fruitful outcome, choose bright-colored vegetables such as spinach, asparagus, bell pepper, and broccoli.
Limit Acidic Beverages:
Limit your intake of acidic foods and beverages such as sodas, wine, and coffee.
Opt for a Low-calorie diet. You may need to cut down on bread from your diet. It may not be easy, but you need to find healthier alternatives.
Top-Notch Oral Hygiene:
Toothpaste is alkaline. Therefore, brushing removes sugar from the mouth and neutralizes the acidic environment.
You can rely on Porter Smiles for all your dental needs. Ring us at 281 519 7200 to learn more about how we can help you out.