Inverness Real Estate Fall-2005 SOFT DRINKS…HARD CHOICES

Sugar, sweets, and carbonated soft drinks have long been seen as the usual suspects in sending kids to the dental chair and barring their admission to the no-cavity club. When more than 5,200 new ready-to-drink non-alcoholic beverages hit the market in 2003, many consumers began choosing diet-colas and sport beverages as a healthier alternative.

In the scorching heat this summer, Inverness resident Dr. Kathy French, D.D.S. has herself seen many well-meaning parents reach for sport drinks to quench the thirst of their dusty ball players.

“It has been ingrained in us to bring sport drinks for the kids to enjoy after the game,” she says. “It’s a culture thing with all of us, not just the kids.” According to Dr. French, while many perceive sugar as the culprit in decay, the underlying acid in many of these beverages is the unsuspected enemy to hard tough tooth enamel.

According to the Iowa Dental Journal, the acid in regular and diet sodas have the potential to contribute to deterioration of the hard enamel protecting the tooth. However, a study published in the Jan-Feb 2005 Academy of General Dentistry Journal concluded that non-cola drinks, commercial lemonades, and energy/sports drinks showed the most aggressive effect on dental enamel. Taste enhancing additives and the blending of soft drink’s acids and sugars contribute to rampant cavities.

“These drinks cause erosion of the tooth structure and create the perfect circumstances for a cavity to start,” says Dr. French. “If you have erosion of the tooth and add some plaque to that—you quickly jump start the decay process.”

How does the cavity form? Acid from regular, diet, and sport drinks combine with bacteria in the mouth to create an atmosphere ripe for decay. This acidic environment puts the teeth in jeopardy even without the 10 teaspoons of sugar packed into a 12 oz. can of non-diet drinks. Cavities start when sugars and acids start chomping away tooth enamel with each of these “acid attacks” lasting about 20 minutes and starting again every sip you take.

Dr. French now sees the tell-tale signs of this culprit. “In our practice, we see teeth eroding right at the gum line and discover many in-between the teeth cavities,” she says. These “smooth surfaces” cavities occur from the interaction of these two chemicals.

Not only does this decay phenomenon affect adolescents, their parents are not immune. Dr. French sees many patients whose prescription drugs result in xerostomia, or dry mouth. This condition adds fuel to the fire creating conditions ripe for tremendous decay.

“Adult patients that drink a fair amount of soft drinks have significantly more dental consequences,” she says. Sometimes the pattern has become addictive and patients don’t want to admit their overuse. “As a dental provider, you are kind of half scratching your head to get to the bottom of this,” she says. Including lunch and refreshments, it’s not unusual to see today’s adults and teens downing 3 soft drinks per day. Non-diet drink consumers could be swallowing a whopping 30 plus teaspoons of added sugar per day.

There is hope on the horizon. Choice is the consumers’ strongest weapon in maintaining oral health. Earlier this year, the American Beverage Association approved a new voluntary school vending policy aimed at providing lower-calorie and/or nutritious beverages and limiting the availability of soft drinks in schools. While replacing soft drinks with healthier drink selections is a wise choice, those that do consume them can limit their damaging effects.

“Sipping soft drinks is like giving your teeth a sugar and acid bath,” says French. Regardless of quantity consumed, “nursing” any soft drink or sport drink increases exposure to cavities. She recommends consuming these drinks during a short period of time preferably with a meal, followed by rinsing your teeth with water eliminating the time for these chemicals to linger and mingle in your mouth. For adults who can’t give up their caffeine, there are numerous caffeinated waters on the market that do not create the sugar/acid one-two punch.

Once damage is done, Dr. French uses cutting-edge early detection methods to preserve healthy teeth. “With the implementation of fluoride in the water supply, we have somewhat of a new phenomenon,” she says. Today’s children have teeth with fluoride incorporated into the tooth’s enamel. Bacteria can travel down the microscopic grooves of the tooth and it becomes a challenge to diagnose decay on the hardened biting surface.
“It’s like an iceberg,” she says. “You can’t detect bacteria traveling down the groove because the enamel is so hard.” Once obvious visual decay can now be hidden and become very significant before it can be seen in an x-ray. In her practice, Dr. French has been utilizing the Diagnodent laser machine for the last three years. “It’s terrific for finding decay in particularly kids and a significant breakthrough in early diagnosis.”

Dr. French continues to incorporate new and innovative technologies and products to have a pro-active approach to dentistry. She and partner Daniel J. Pope recognize the need for patient education and early detection to preserve oral health in patients of all ages.

Along with her 20 years in practice, Dr. French regularly teaches at the prestigious Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education. At the Florida institute she presents and teaches challenging cases to dentists from around the globe.

Dr. French is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry, Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Chicago Academy of Interdisciplinary Dentofacial Therapy, American Equilibration Society, The Dawson Pankey Study Club, Pankey Institute Alumni Association, Chicago Dental Society, Illinois State Dental and the American Dental Association.

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