Acidic food, colas responsible for dental issues in Chennaiites

Chennai

The study was conducted to assess oral healthcare issues, in the backdrop of some facts. Just about 4 per cent of people consult a dentist regularly, while the sensitivity-awareness index in India is just about 17 per cent while it is 33 per cent globally.

The study placed Chennai second in the list of suffers in two problems — teeth sensitivity and yellowing of teeth, which is largely due to tea, coffee and alcohol.

Talking about findings of the study, Dr B Lakshmi, a city-based orthodontist-cosmetologist, points out that the fact that an hour of television content has at least five ads related to toothpaste for teeth sensitivity which says a lot.

“This is largely due to the increasing market for aerated beverage market. In the Western countries, while cola consumption was on the rise during the 70s and 80s, teeth sensitivity was not a huge problem because they used a straw while consuming the drinks. We don’t do that here much and drink from bottle directly. So the cola bottle touches the upper front teeth and it gets exposed to the acidic drink directly,” she says. She adds that among those on a diet comprising only fruit and fruit juices, the acidity remains in the teeth, causing sensitivity.

Dentists also say that the other common cause for teeth sensitivity are excessive force while brushing the teeth and use of the same toothbrush over a longer period of time. “Repeated exposure to water makes the bristles hard that leads to the removal of teeth enamel,” she adds.

However, the good news is that sensitivity can be cured to a certain extent and it is largely to do with awareness. Dr Sujatha Manoharan, a dental surgeon, says, “Even fractured and broken teeth can cause teeth sensitivity. If detected at an early stage, it can definitely be addressed and is treatable to a certain extent,” she adds.

Dental facts
 
Tooth sensitivity is cited as the most common faced oral health problem, followed by staining of teeth and tooth cavities

53% people in Chennai claim to have missed enjoying a memorable moment in their life due to teeth sensitivity

46% in Chennai have tooth staining/ yellowing of teeth because of medication