Many patients develop acidic mouths as a result of acid reflux. The acid levels in your mouth can also increase after eating acidic foods, such as citrus fruits. High levels of acid in the mouth can erode the dental enamel and increase the risk of developing tooth decay. Dr. Kaitilin Riley and our team encourage you to take special precautions if your mouth is especially acidic.

The chief concern is to keep mouth pH neutral (around 6.8 pH) and populated with benign bacteria, and bacteria that actually compete with caries producing bacteria.

  1. DO NOT BRUSH TEETH when the mouth is acidic. This includes immediately after meals and immediately after drinking sodas. Let the mouth recover, at least ½ an hour, and sip and swish with the Basic Water (see below).
  2. BASIC WATER recipe: Sip on neutral/basic water with Xylitol throughout the day. Take a pinch of baking soda and a packet of Xylitol sugar into a container of water (8-16oz). If it tastes salty, it’s too much baking soda. Shake throughout the day and sip.
  3. Brush with baking soda. Place wet tooth brush head into a scoop of baking soda and brush.
  4. Use a toothpaste product that contains casein and calcium, phosphate and F ions. Do not brush with this; instead, after brushing, flossing, and rinsing, smear a “nurdle” (about ¼ teaspoon) of a product like MI paste (you can get that at our office).
  5. Test pH of saliva. Healthy saliva pH should be around 6.8. Any pH strips that can show pH levels to 1 decimal point in the range of 6.0-7.0.

You can learn more about managing an acidic mouth in Paso Robles, California, when you schedule an appointment with our experience dentist. Contact our office today!