About Mark Bornfeld DDS Expertise I can respond to all questions dealing with the practice of dentistry, from both the dentist`s and patient`s perspective. I am knowledgeable about all dental disciplines, from cosmetic dentistry to surgery, from restorative dentistry to root canal treatment. I have strong opinions about controversial issues in dental practice, including those topics which directly impact on the reputation of the profession in the eyes of both the lay public and our health profession colleagues.
Experience
Past/Present Clients Editor, Queens County Academy of General Dentistry newsletter; contributor to Dentistry.com 29 years practicing general dentistry partnered with brother Steve as one-half of the DentalTwins®
First, does sugar immediately start eating away the enamel on your teeth or is it the case that it takes a while for the sugar to really start having a negative effect. (As in a few hours if you don't brush/floss)
Second,
Is there a toothpaste you recommend above others, or are they all about the same these days?
ANSWER: Dear Brian,
Sugar has no direct effect on tooth enamel-- it exerts a deleterious effect on teeth because it provides nutrition for oral bacteria, which metabolically convert the sugar to acids that soften enamel. This effect is relatively rapid, and can occur within minutes, and can last for twenty minutes beyond the time when sugar has been cleared from the mouth. Whether or not this short-term exposure causes tooth decay to begin depends on the frequency and duration of sugar exposure and host factors which vary from person to person.
Despite what you might infer from all the advertising, toothpaste actually plays a relatively minor role in the prevention of oral disease. Unless you're looking for a specific therapeutic goal (for example, reduction in tooth sensitivity), any ADA-approved fluoride toothpaste will provide essentially the same modest benefit.
Hope this helps...
Mark Bornfeld DDS
www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks for the informative reply.
My dentist said I need a root canal on #12. It hurt me about a week ago but hasn't since. Is this normal for it not to be bothering me?
Also....how long does it take for tooth enamel to "grow" or be replaced, once bad habits such as regular soda are stopped?
Thanks for your time.
Answer Dear Brian,
It is quite common for the pain from a tooth with pulpitis or alveolar abscess to be intermittent. If the necessity of root canal therapy has been conclusively established, the absence of pain does not contradict the diagnosis.
Enamel does not grow after a tooth has erupted through the gum in childhood, and is never replaced. The enamel of teeth is fully formed during embryonic development, and is progressively lost throughout life as a consequence of functional wear, injury, and decay. Although cessation of habits harmful to the enamel can slow its loss, it will not reverse the process or re-constitute lost enamel.
