Oral buffer to prevent cavities?

[yhelothar]

Considering cavities are caused by bacteria pooping acid that burns through your teeth, couldn't this acid be neutralized by sleeping with a buffer in the mouth?

 

[RichardE]

This is too easy...much too easy

 

[biggestmuff]

:roll:

Just floss, brush and rinse, dingus.

 

[JRich]

Originally posted by: RichardE
This is too easy...much too easy

*snicker*

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: biggestmuff
:roll:

Just floss, brush and rinse, dingus.

only except that doesn't prevent all cavities. You could easily accure several cavities throughout your lifetime despite flossing brushing and rinsing.

 

[SagaLore]

That is an astro of an idea.

When you go to bed, place a spoonful of baking soda in your mouth. Hold that while you sleep, and let us know the results in the morning.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: SagaLore
That is an astro of an idea.

When you go to bed, place a spoonful of baking soda in your mouth. Hold that while you sleep, and let us know the results in the morning.

Um well obviously if buffer was implemented for oral use, it'd take form in something much more practical and comfortable. Perhaps something in the form of a small lozenge that has very low soluability in the mouth?

 

[Baked]

Oral buffer eh?

Buy a sonicare from Costco.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: astroidea

Originally posted by: SagaLore
That is an astro of an idea.

When you go to bed, place a spoonful of baking soda in your mouth. Hold that while you sleep, and let us know the results in the morning.

Um well obviously if buffer was implemented for oral use, it'd take form in something much more practical and comfortable. Perhaps something in the form of a small lozenge that has very low soluability in the mouth?

How about an alkaseltzer tablet?

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: astroidea

Originally posted by: SagaLore
That is an astro of an idea.

When you go to bed, place a spoonful of baking soda in your mouth. Hold that while you sleep, and let us know the results in the morning.

Um well obviously if buffer was implemented for oral use, it'd take form in something much more practical and comfortable. Perhaps something in the form of a small lozenge that has very low soluability in the mouth?

How about an alkaseltzer tablet?

Or some Pop Rocks.

 

[OdiN]

I recommend H2SO4.

 

[Eli]

It's not that easy.

You are thinking on too big of a scale. Bacteria are microscopic, and they live in microscopic valleys in your teeth. They secrete their acids, and they go to work in this crevice. Given enough time, this completely penetrates the enamel, and becomes a cavity.

It's very difficult to clean these pits in your teeth out once they become established, hence the reason why even those with the most diligent oral hygiene will still get cavities.

A better approach would be to eliminate the bacteria all together somehow.

Oh, and by the way, your saliva already has a pH of 7.4.

 

[PottedMeat]

Originally posted by: OdiN
I recommend H2SO4.

No that would make it worse. I recommend sodium hydroxide tablets or give your teeth a once over with oven cleaner.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: astroidea

Originally posted by: SagaLore
That is an astro of an idea.

When you go to bed, place a spoonful of baking soda in your mouth. Hold that while you sleep, and let us know the results in the morning.

Um well obviously if buffer was implemented for oral use, it'd take form in something much more practical and comfortable. Perhaps something in the form of a small lozenge that has very low soluability in the mouth?

How about an alkaseltzer tablet?

Or some Pop Rocks.

Sorry, doesn't fit the latter criteria

It's not that easy.

You are thinking on too big of a scale. Bacteria are microscopic, and they live in microscopic valleys in your teeth. They secrete their acids, and they go to work in this crevice. Given enough time, this completely penetrates the enamel, and becomes a cavity.

It's very difficult to clean these pits in your teeth out once they become established, hence the reason why even those with the most diligent oral hygiene will still get cavities.

A better approach would be to eliminate the bacteria all together somehow.

Wouldn't even H2SO4 molecules fit in said microscopic valleys?

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: astroidea
Wouldn't even H2SO4 molecules fit in said microscopic valleys?

H2SO4 is sulphuric acid... lol

NaOH is sodium hydroxide.. But..

Most people don't realize that extremely basic things are just like extremely acidic things in that.. they will eat your skin and other body parts without discretion.

I suppose they would. Brushing your teeth with baking soda is probably a fairly good idea, overall. It used to be quite common.

Toothpaste should be quite basic too, though.

You do bring up a good point. It is obvious that eating and drinking lots of acidic things, like Coke, will eat your teeth away. Keeping your mouth alkaline would probably go quite a ways towards helping things out.

My Uncle used to wash his mouth out with lemon juice because he liked the clean feeling afterwards, but it absolutely wreaked havoc on his teeth.

 

[SagaLore]

Okay on a more serious note...

I agree with Eli - don't neutralize the acid, neutralize the bacteria that creates the acid.

If they don't have sugars to eat, then they can't poop acid, and they die and go away. Eat high meat, high vegetable, high fiber carb diets. All that bleached wheat and sugar is the culprit. After deserts and snacks, chew gum to reduce how much sugar is available to the bacteria.

 

[KLin]

How about C11H17N2NaO2S

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: KLin
How about C11H17N2NaO2S

Heh.

 

[Saga]

I've never in my entire life brushed before going to bed, I don't floss, and my morning brush spends more time brushing my tongue to rid bad breath than it does brushing my actual teeth and gums. I have done this for as long as I could physically remember, and I have never had any cavities.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Izusaga
I've never in my entire life brushed before going to bed, I don't floss, and my morning brush spends more time brushing my tongue to rid bad breath than it does brushing my actual teeth and gums. I have done this for as long as I could physically remember, and I have never had any cavities.

I can guarantee you it isn't working.

Do this. Just do it. Especially a day or two after eating stringy meat like chicken or pork.

Buy some floss, and run it through your back molars. Try to do it carefully, so you collect any bits of food on the floss.

Now smell it. Do it.

That's what rotting meat/food smells like, and it is also what your breath smells like. Guaranteed.

Once you smell it, you will actually be able to taste this smell in your mouth when it gets bad, and you WILL floss more often.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: Izusaga
I've never in my entire life brushed before going to bed, I don't floss, and my morning brush spends more time brushing my tongue to rid bad breath than it does brushing my actual teeth and gums. I have done this for as long as I could physically remember, and I have never had any cavities.

watch out for gum disease. it's painless, except you might notice a bit of blood, and then without intervention, you will notice one day that your teeth are getting loose.

 

[AsianriceX]

Use a fluoride rinse.

http://www.actfluoride.com/actfluoriderinse.html

 

[Grouchyoldguy]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: Izusaga
I've never in my entire life brushed before going to bed, I don't floss, and my morning brush spends more time brushing my tongue to rid bad breath than it does brushing my actual teeth and gums. I have done this for as long as I could physically remember, and I have never had any cavities.

watch out for gum disease. it's painless, except you might notice a bit of blood, and then without intervention, you will notice one day that your teeth are getting loose.

Yep. My story to a tee. Had to get implants due to mobility issues in 3 teeth.
I'm hoping to save the rest. I see a periodontist every six months now. I was 41
at the time.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: Izusaga
I've never in my entire life brushed before going to bed, I don't floss, and my morning brush spends more time brushing my tongue to rid bad breath than it does brushing my actual teeth and gums. I have done this for as long as I could physically remember, and I have never had any cavities.

watch out for gum disease. it's painless, except you might notice a bit of blood, and then without intervention, you will notice one day that your teeth are getting loose.

He's not going to get gum disease if he only brushes when he wakes up.
Otherwise a good majority of the world would have gum disease.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: astroidea

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: Izusaga
I've never in my entire life brushed before going to bed, I don't floss, and my morning brush spends more time brushing my tongue to rid bad breath than it does brushing my actual teeth and gums. I have done this for as long as I could physically remember, and I have never had any cavities.

watch out for gum disease. it's painless, except you might notice a bit of blood, and then without intervention, you will notice one day that your teeth are getting loose.

He's not going to get gum disease if he only brushes when he wakes up.
Otherwise a good majority of the world would have gum disease.

you're clueless.

gum disease ranges from a stage of slight inflammation to full out periodontal disease.

a good majority of the world likely has had an episode with gingivitis at some point in their life.
if your gums bleed at all during brushing or flossing you have some inflammation present, and that is caused by gum disease.

brushing before bed is important because saliva production slows down when we sleep. our mouths are drier and therefore bacteria multiply more rapidly. some people may get away with skipping brushing/flossing before bed, but it will catch up with them.

holy crap.. i feel like i'm still at work.