Tooth Erosion - Lab Report Example

TOOTH EROSION A research was conducted on the samples of adult teeth and baby teeth in order to observe the differences in the teeth erosion of both types of teeth. 14 samples of each class were taken and were tested with herbal tea, black tea and coffee. As it can be observed from the graphs that weight loss ratio is much higher in adults as compared to babies. It was noted that from herbal tea samples that the weight loss in adults is around 1.04 and in babies, it is 0.29. Samples taken for Black tea showed that the weight loss in adults is 1.167 whereas in babies, it is 0.33. Another observation that was made from the sample of Black coffee that the weight loss in adults is 2.18 and 9.51 in babies The hardest element in our body is tooth enamel. It is a hard calcified tissue which shelters and guards our teeth. Tooth erosion is the wearing away of this enamel by an acid. This happens when a great amount of acid is present in our mouth. This acid comes from the food especially soft drinks and juices we consume. There are some other factors as well responsible for the occurrence of tooth erosion such as eating disorders or saliva deficiency. A patient whose tooth erodes suffers from thinning of enamel leading to sensitivity of teeth and in severe case dents and cracks in teeth. In Tooth sensitivity, patient suffers from tooth pain in one or more teeth that can be caused by hot, cold, sweet or sour foods and drinks, or even by the inhalation of cold air. The pain sometimes turn into sudden, sharp and shoot deep into the roots of the teeth causing severe pain to the patient. Dietary erosion occurs due to consumption of food containing acids. This type of erosion was considered as the most damaging erosion. However, later on, researches showed that along with dietary erosion, regurgitated erosion is also very dangerous for teeth. Regurgitated acid sticks on the back of the tongue and leaves an acidic taste in the mouth weakening the enamel. This erosion cause awful taste in the mouth and discomfort to the patient. Effects of black tea on tooth erosion: Black tea is used for preventing tooth decay. According to several researches, it has been found out that black tea contains several elements which fight against rotting of teeth and has no effect on tooth enamel. Black tea contains fluoride which has recognized to be very beneficial for teeth. Fluoride integrates in the crystal lattice of enamel and stops the development of dental carries. It improves the lattice strength making the enamel stronger. Black tea also contains 2% to 4% caffeine. Caffeine improves tooth enamel and acid resistance by stopping bacteria from binding to enamel. However, excessive consumption of black tea has potentially destructive effects on dental health. When black tea is consumed in a large amount, the body gets caffeine in excessive amount which results in minor and severe headaches, sleep disorders, anxiety, vomiting, irregular heartbeats, diarrhea etc. Findings have shown that adsorption pattern of baby teeth is higher than adult teeth. There is a wide difference present between both types of teeth. Adsorption pattern of baby teeth is said to be higher because of natural anti-bacterial activities. Therefore consumption of black tea in baby teeth is more beneficial. It fights against tooth decay, dental carries and tooth erosion. Acidic drinks causes tooth erosion because enamel covering is dissolved in the acid of the drink. The recommended safe ph. level for drinks by dentists is 5.5. Drinks that have a ph. level below this promote tooth erosion. The Ph. level of black tea is 4.9 which is very close to the suggested level. When black tea is being consumed, the ph. level decreases by a small unit and reaches 5.45.  The minor pH fall observed at the tooth surface after drinking tea clearly shows that it can be safely suggested as a substitute for more acidic drinks as a measure of protective methods for dental erosion. Tannins are an essential component of Black tea. Tannins are defensive elements that fight bacteria and fungi attacking the enamel at their surface level. The adverse effect of tannin is that they stick to the medicines and reduce their effects by absorbing the important constituents. Consuming large amount of tannin causes fluorescence in baby teeth. Tannins play no significant role in the fluorescence of adult teeth. Effects of Herbal Tea on Tooth: Nowadays herbal tea is considered to be a healthy drink for the breakfast. However Researches have shown that some flavors of herbal teas have serious damage on teeth. Herbal tea inhibits strong type of bacteria in the mouth. They dissolve the enamel on the teeth causing teeth erosion and decay. The prevalence of tooth wear is very high and one of the factors outline for this is herbal tea. The more acidic a drink is, the more damage it causes to the teeth. The acid level of a drink is determined by its Ph. Level. Researchers have showed that the ph. of herbal tea ranges from 3.1 to 7.1. The amount of enamel in consuming herbal tea ranged from 1 to 9.6 m. Orange juice is considered to be very harmful for the teeth erosion and It as ph. level of 3.7. Consumption of orange juice results in the loss of only 3.3 m of tooth enamel. These Researches confirmed that herbal teas are three times more acidic than orange juice. Herbal tea is usually consumed with lemon or sugar. Lemon contains citric acid. The ph. Level of citric acid is 3.6. The lemon, when dissolved in the herbal tea, decreases its ph. Level by a significant amount that is more damaging for the teeth. Sugar contains carbohydrates. The bacteria in the mouth need energy to survive and carbohydrates are a source of their energy. Herbal teas are also available in many flavors. These flavors decrease the ph. level of the drink by a certain amount that is more damageable for the teeth. According to researches, herbal teas with no fruit content are no harm for the teeth. Herbal tea is very good for baby teeth. Baby teeth have natural anti-bacterial system. Therefore the damage that herbal teeth cause to their teeth is almost negligible. Herbal tea contains fluoride which acts as a defensive and protective agent for teeth. Nevertheless, excessive intake of fluoride results in tooth erosion which can lead to osteofluorosis and fractures. It has been observed that children do not take high tea therefore occurrence of tooth erosion due to herbal tea in baby teeth is very low. Effect of Coffee on tooth: Coffee is a drink that is made from roasted and ground bean-like seeds. Coffee is a main source of caffeine. One cup of coffee contains 95-200 mg of caffeine which is an addictive drug. Moderate amounts of caffeine are considered to be safe for consumption. But, large consumption of caffeine has extremely adverse effects on the health of the teeth. The teeth are susceptible to damage and diseases when the enamel on the teeth wears off. Caffeine reduces the layer of enamel on the teeth. Reduction of enamel leads to yellowing of teeth or stains on teeth. The pH level of coffee ranges from 5-6.5. When ingredients like sugar and cream are added in it, the pH level is decreased. Sugar and cream contains a significant amount of carbohydrates which are a source of energy for the bacteria in the mouth. Hence researches have showed that coffee is acidic in nature and plays a great role on the erosion of teeth. The ingredients in coffee act as nutrition for the mouth bacteria and give rise to them. There was a time when it was unheard of that a child had coffee, but now it has become a very common sight. Along with other caffeine enrich beverages; coffee has become popular among children and teenagers. Black coffee results on children with having black-grey staining on teeth. It causes salivary dysfunction and enamel decay in children. With decreasing consumption of milk and water with the introduction of coffee, children develop dehydration problems, and weaker bones and teeth. Conclusion: Herbal tea inhibits strong bacteria in mouth. This bacteria fights against the enamel in the mouth and wears it off. In adult teeth, herbal tea has outlined to be one of the major factors for teeth erosion. Herbal tea is very acidic in nature. People consume herbal tea with flavors, lemon or sugar which decreases its pH. level making it more damageable for the teeth. In children, it has been observed that the consumption of herbal tea is very low. Therefore, the damage caused by herbal tea on their teeth is guarded by their natural anti bacterial system. The fluoride in herbal tea strengthens the tooth enamel in children. Herbal tea also helps in preventing dental carries. Black tea prevents the growth of bacteria in mouth. According to researches done, black tea fights against the rotting of teeth and makes no damage to the enamel. However, large consumption of black has adverse effects on both adult teeth and baby teeth. It contains fluoride. Consuming large amount of fluoride results in weakening of enamel, which later on turn into fracturing and dents on teeth. Black tea contains an element known as tannin. Tannins are defensive elements that fight bacteria and fungi attacking the enamel at their surface level. The adverse effect of tannin is that they stick to the medicines and reduce their effects by absorbing the important constituents. Coffee has large amount of caffeine which has adverse effect on teeth. It results in enamel reduction and teeth stains. Coffee also results in salivary dysfunction and enamel decay in children. Read More