Balance your pH for a healthy YOU!
Maintaining a balanced, healthy diet is important not only for oral health, but for your overall health. A diet consisting largely of acidic beverages and foods, such as soft drinks and processed foods has a negative effect on the body’s pH level. When these levels are not balanced, we are unable to process essential minerals and nutrients correctly. Bacteria, viruses, and disease thrive in an acidic environment. When the pH level of saliva becomes acidic, teeth begin to decay.
However, an alkaline (basic) environment makes it difficult for disease and illness to survive. Therefore, working toward a balanced pH level will help to combat bacteria, viruses, disease, and make a healthier you! The pH level is a reflection of the foods you eat. A diet rich in sugar, dairy products, and animal fats produces acid. Eating a diet high in alkaline producing foods (like many vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds) along with properly hydrating may aid your body in balancing its pH more efficiently. The pH scale ranges from 0-14, with 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most basic; a pH of 7 is neutral. When the pH in your mouth becomes acidic (below 5.5), the cavity-causing bacteria thrive, producing more acid, causing demineralization and cavities.
Your Carson City dentists at Advanced Dentistry by Design are passionate about improving the lives and smiles of our patients. We know that the effects of various drinks DO cause cavities. We want to help you and your family prevent them and invite you to pick up a pH drink chart and see where your favorite beverage rates. Coke, Pepsi, and Powerade have a pH of 2 (in the danger zone), while water, soy milk and green teas are a healthier pH of 7. We will also give you some test strips to measure the acidity of your favorite drink. Just dip the strips into your drink and match with a pH color chart to determine the pH level, and see if your favorite beverage is in the “safety zone” or the “danger zone.” Advanced Dentistry by Design is here for the health, beauty and function of your teeth, but we also care about your overall health.