Myths:
At dental school we learned sugar was the demon that destroyed teeth. In the real world it was easy to see sugar is not the only villain. Decades ago, I began to investigate why some people had good teeth while others did not. I asked every patient what they ate, what they drank, and even the brand of paste or rinse they used to clean their teeth. I gathered the evidence and a clear pattern emerged– ACIDITY was the culprit that caused bad teeth.
Next I purchased pH testing paper and a pH-meter to test acidity (pH) of drinks, water, rinses and even people’s mouths. I discovered most drinks could dissolve teeth and Listerine was acidic enough to melt enamel. The pH of “whitening strips” is astounding – worse than lemon juice or vinegar! Armed with this knowledge I worked to develop a method for protecting teeth before and after using Listerine – so people could enjoy its benefits, while protecting their teeth from its acidity.
Hunt for the Answer:
Many questions were answered, yet some patients still did not exactly “fit” the profile. These were mainly 30 to 50 year old women, showing gum recession, sensitivity, stained or weak teeth, broken fillings, tartar build up and plaque. They all seemed to have a healthy diet and carefully looked after their teeth. Being a woman, I decided to monitor my own mouth on a daily basis and check for fluctuations in my mouth acidity levels.
It appears men have relatively stable, alkaline mouths – day and night. Women, on the other hand, are less predictable – with changes that can occur hour-by-hour. Acidic morning saliva can become alkaline after taking a multivitamin. A vacation on the beach delivered a week of wonderful alkaline pH to my mouth. Imagine my surprise to discover that acidity returned as I packed the suitcase for our return flight home! Was it possible that such a small “stress” could make my mouth acidic?
Continuous testing showed many situations will make a woman’s mouth acidic. It may be anything, from running late for an appointment to concern over a child’s report card or lack of sleep. Imagine the damage that bad news, financial worries or divorce could cause teeth. Of course men’s alkaline mouths can change, but it appears to take a more acute crisis – the kind of catastrophic event like loss of a job or death of a spouse.
Tooth Truths:
The lesson learned is that women must protect their teeth from acidity throughout adulthood, especially during times of hormonal imbalance, worry or concern. They can offer tooth-protective help to the men in their lives, should they suffer life-changing problems. My Complete Mouth Care System will strengthening teeth and make them more resistant to acid challenge. So stop unfortunate events and stress from wrecking your teeth – why not start using xylitol and my Complete Mouth Care System today?
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