Erosive tooth wear and dentinal hypersensitivity are two of the most well-known occupational hazards for wine professionals. Wine is loaded with a variety of organic acids (tartaric, maleic, lactic and citric), and has a pH of 3-4. To put things in perspective, those who make a living tasting, making or judging wine can taste upwards of 100 wines in a day—that's a whole lot of repeated acid exposure for tooth enamel. Clinicians are usually treating cases of dental erosion, like those of wine professionals, after the damage is already done. But what if dentists could detect enamel demineralization in its early stages? The Australian Dental Journal published results from a study that made progress toward early detection and preventive treatments for dental erosion. The study used nanoscratch testing to try to gain a better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms involved in early stage tooth softening. "Over the past decade, nanohardness testing (using a nanoindenter) has been applied to detect enamel softening from acidic diet during early stages of erosion. While nanohardness testing provides indirect information about wear resistance of a bioceramic material (such as enamel), 20 nanoscratch testing conducted under appropriate conditions provides site-specific, accurate understanding of its micro- or nano-tribological behaviour. Thus, nanoscratch testing is likely to clarify fundamental mechanisms involved with tooth softening during the early stages of dental erosion, as well as refine the methods currently used in the determination of the direction of tooth grinding." Researchers placed enamel specimens in artificial saliva for two hours, and then exposed the specimens to wine for 10 one-minute episodes followed by one minute in artificial saliva. The hypothesis was that the nanoscratches would significantly increase in depth over time. The findings showed that enamel softening can indeed occur during the initial exposure to wine. The researchers of the study concluded: "Enamel softening occurs at an early stage of wine tasting, emphasizing the need to implement early preventive strategies in professional wine tasters. Further research elucidating the fundamental mechanisms involved in early stages of erosion has the potential to lead to development of more effective preventive strategies." This study's results may not be revolutionary, but it's a step in the right direction toward laying a foundation from which to develop effective preventive strategies.

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The information contained in this, or any case study post in Incisor should never be considered a proper replacement for necessary training and/or education regarding adult oral conscious sedation. Regulations regarding sedation vary by state. This is an educational and informational piece. DOCS Education accepts no liability whatsoever for any damages resulting from any direct or indirect recipient's use of or failure to use any of the information contained herein. DOCS Education would be happy to answer any questions or concerns mailed to us at 106 Lenora Street, Seattle, WA 98121. Please print a copy of this posting and include it with your question or request.

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The information contained in this, or any case study post in Incisor, should never be considered a proper replacement for necessary training and/or education regarding adult oral conscious sedation. Regulations regarding sedation vary by state. This is an educational and informational piece. DOCS Education accepts no liability whatsoever for any damages resulting from any direct or indirect recipient's use of or failure to use any of the information contained herein. DOCS Education would be happy to answer any questions or concerns mailed to us at 3250 Airport Way S, Suite 701 | Seattle, WA 98134. Please print a copy of this posting and include it with your question or request.
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