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Are energy drinks bad for your teeth? Many of our patients at Robson Dentistry ask us this question, so here’s the scoop.

Energy drinks have been on the rise, taking up more and more space on grocery store shelves. Drinks such as Red Bull, 5-Hour Energy, Monster Assault, Rockstar, and the like promise to jump-start your day, give you more energy, and help you feel more alert. But they also do a lot more than that. Turns out, they do a pretty good job of stripping your teeth of enamel, which is a very bad thing.

Many of these energy drinks are loaded with a lot of citric acid. In addition, they are laden with preservatives (not to mention sugar), not only to enhance flavor, but extend shelf life. While enamel loss, tooth decay, teeth sensitivity, and cavities cannot be blamed entirely on energy drinks (improper oral hygiene at home and lack of professional dental care also play a role), they can wreak havoc on the health of your teeth and gums, especially when consumed in more than moderation. Over time, energy drinks can strip enamel, which is the outer layer that protects your teeth.

What can you do?

Although Dr. James Robson and our team aren't recommending you drink energy drinks at all, if you must drink one occasionally, there are a few things you can do to minimize the damage to your teeth.

• Drink through a straw.
• Don’t hold the drink in your mouth before swallowing.
• Rinse your mouth with water immediately after drinking this kind of beverage. Water helps both to neutralize the acid and to increase the production of saliva.
• Chew sugar-free gum immediately after, to increase saliva production.
• Don’t brush your teeth right after drinking an energy drink. Wait at least an hour instead, because the combination of the acid and brushing will further damage tooth enamel.

The best advice is to refrain from drinking energy drinks altogether. One of the best hydrators is water. Water is a natural energy-booster and hydrator, and it doesn’t contain calories.

Give us a call today at our East Lyme, CT  office if you have any questions or concerns about energy drinks and dental health. We can provide additional tips and a treatment plan to help reduce enamel loss, eliminate tooth sensitivity, and repair cavities and tooth decay as a result of drinking energy drinks.

One of the greatest features our team at Robson Dentistry offers is the ability to see first-hand how we can help our patients. While X-rays help us detect any problems in your mouth and give us valuable information on what is bothering you, they often don’t give Dr. James Robson a complete view of everything that is going on inside your mouth. With the use of an intraoral camera, we can see every aspect of your teeth and mouth with incredible detail, uncovering cracked or fractured teeth, excessive wear, carious lesions, cavities, or other issues that may be hidden. When we can discover oral problems early on, your treatment is much less invasive and often saves you money down the road.

An intraoral camera allows Dr. James Robson to view clear, precise images of your mouth, teeth, and gums and allows us to make an accurate diagnosis.  With clear, defined, enlarged images, Dr. James Robson and our team see details that standard mirror examinations may miss. It’s much easier to understand what is happening in your mouth if you can see the problem on a computer monitor, and it means faster diagnosis and less chair-time for our patients!

Intraoral cameras are small, about the size of a dental mirror, and emit a light onto the tooth. The tooth will emit a color that lets Dr. James Robson determine if the tooth is healthy or diseased. Intraoral cameras also allow us to save your images on our office computer to provide a permanent record of treatments. These treatments can be printed for you, other specialists, and your lab or insurance companies.

For any questions about the intraoral camera, we encourage you to ask Dr. James Robson or our team during your or your child’s next visit or by giving us a call at our convenient East Lyme, CT office.

Dr. James Robson, as well as our team at Robson Dentistry, would like to give those patients with flex spend, health savings, or insurance benefits a friendly end of the year reminder that it’s high time to schedule your dental visits so you optimize your benefit.

Now is the time to reserve your appointment with us. Space is limited and we tend to get busy around the holidays, so don’t wait to give us a call at our convenient East Lyme, CT office!

Many people don’t like going to the dentist for anything other than a checkup, but you’re probably going to need dental work at some point. It may be a simple filling or a crown, bridge, or root canal, and you’ll get the work done with an anesthetic so you can’t feel anything. The worst part of the entire process, for many people, is getting the anesthetic to numb up your mouth.

Traditional anesthetic is a dreadful process for some who don’t like long needles. A newer alternative is the Wand STA. It’s a system that has a pen-like device for administering the anesthesia. This wand is connected to hardware that looks like a small computer tower.

Pain with Using the Wand STA versus Traditional Anesthetic

The pain you may feel when the dentist injects you with traditional anesthetic actually isn’t due entirely to the needle. It’s the result of the anesthesia being injected too quickly. With the Wand STA, this isn’t a problem. The system is designed to inject the anesthesia more slowly so you don’t feel the pain.

Control of the Wand STA versus Traditional Anesthetic

Dentists who use traditional anesthetic are entirely responsible for controlling the entire operation. They’re very well-trained, but there is always room for human error. You can end up with unnecessary pain if the anesthetic is administered too quickly. The Wand STA control tower connects to the pen-like wand and automatically controls the rate at which the anesthetic is administered. Because of its small size, it’s also helpful in working on places in the mouth that are harder to reach.

What are the drawbacks of the Wand STA?

It is natural to wonder why all dentists don’t use the Wand STA in their offices if it’s easier for them and more comfortable to use. So, what’s the catch? Actually, there isn’t one for patients. The only reasons not to use the Wand STA are related to drawbacks for dentists and staff, mostly from a cost and training standpoint.

Of course, Dr. James Robson and our team stop at nothing to provide our patients with the very best, regardless of the cost to us. That’s why the Wand STA is something we offer to all our patients at our East Lyme, CT office.