By Dr. Michael Schecter of Schecter Dental

Vibrant health and energy begins with pH balance. pH is simply a measurement of acidity and alkalinity; Your body is alkaline by design, but acidic by function. Nearly every process that your body undergoes produces acid.

However, the pH of your body needs to remain alkaline and will seek to retain pH balance. Your body will go to such great lengths to keep the pH of your blood in a range between 7.35-7.45 that it will even create stress on other tissues or body system to do so. Your body will leach the calcium (which is alkaline) right out of your bones and teeth or magnesium from your muscles to correct an acidic condition.

Am I Acidic?

pH of Urine: Ph of urine falls between 6.75 and 7.25. By testing the urine pH, we can determine whether your body is eliminating a normal amount of acids. If the acid excretion rate is higher than normal, urinary pH will be more acidic. This low urinary pH is also an indication that we are low in alkaline mineral reserves that are used to neutralize the acids that are eliminated from urine.

pH of Saliva: When our bodies have an abundant supply of mineral buffer available, saliva pH will read between 7.0 and 7.5 (as high as 8.0 immediately after a meal). A low saliva pH reading also indicates mineral depletion.

Saliva is naturally more alkaline so that it can buffer the acidity produced from food. Bacteria in our mouths convert the sugars we eat into acid. This acid is the cause of tooth decay. Our saliva acts as a natural buffer to protect our mouths from decay. We can help prevent decay by brushing or rinsing after food to minimize the sugar and acid content in our mouths. We can also minimize the acid and sugar we ingest. Another critical component is ensuring that our saliva is at the appropriate buffering capacity. If our bodies are acidic, our saliva will be too acidic resulting in increase cavities and gum disease.

There is a naturally occurring tide of acidity and alkalinity in your body. Due to normal build-up, transport, and elimination of acids from our systems, body fluids are most acidic at 2 AM (low tide) and most alkaline at 2 PM (high tide)

What causes acidity?

Both our modern diet and lifestyle promote acidification of our bodies. Acidifying foods (processed sugar, processed carbohydrates, meat, dairy) lower the pH of the body. Moreover, stimulants like tobacco, coffee, tea, and alcohol all have an extremely acidifying effect on the body. An overload of these acids can overwhelm your body’s ability to neutralize them. Alkaline foods such as vegetables are eaten in much smaller quantities; their alkaline content is insufficient to neutralize surplus acids. Regular intake of greens can have significant buffering/balancing capacity. My personal goal is to consume 40% of my diet as greens. To be a realistic, I am closer to 30%.  My preference is to masticate my greens. I do not subscribe to daily smoothies/juices as they can be quite acidic and erode tooth structure.

Stress, nervous tension, noise, shortage of time, and other pressures contribute to increasing the body’s acidification through the physiological disturbances they create. Physical exercise should be a critical balance for our pH levels. Unfortunately, in our modern paradigm, exercise is either excessive or insufficient, resulting in an acidic internal environment.

Our bodies become overly acidic primarily as a result of three things: ingestion of acids, creating acids, and improper neutralization and elimination of acids. Microbes (bacteria, yeast, fungus), proliferate when your body becomes acidic. These pathogens also create acidifying toxins in the body. These living organisms steal your nutrients by feeding on them and create a host of toxins as a result. These toxins are very acidifying and are potentially very dangerous.

When our body’s buffering systems become depleted or compromised, acids begin to build up. As acids continue to build up, they damage all systems within the body. When this buffering system is used only occasionally, the alkaline elements thus lost are easily replaced by the alkaline minerals found in food, and the tissues suffer no ill effects from ‘loaning’ their alkaline components. Problems occur when tissues are forced to relinquish their alkaline elements on a regular basis, every day or even several times a day. In this case, the body’s alkaline content inevitably diminishes.

About Dr. Michael Schecter

Dr. Michael Schecter has a special interest in treating all patients on their own terms. Michael has accumulated expertise, understanding and incorporating dental health into your overall life balance. He will assess your needs and provide a comprehensive treatment plan, including financial options. He offers patients alternative remedies to pharmaceuticals, reduced   toxicity, and organic products to promote gentle healing. Michael understands your unique requests and will thoroughly evaluate your dental health and help determine the best course of treatment for you.

Michael’s passion is to provide the extraordinary benefits of Biological Dentistry to his patients. Moreover, he is conscious of the health controversies prevalent in dentistry today. He is well aware of the overall health benefits of treating the whole body and considers the well-being of his patients his number one priority. You will have the opportunity to explore the dental relationship with diet and lifestyle together with Michael. He keeps current by attending Biological Dental lectures and workshops and through his membership in The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT). Michael looks forward to addressing your needs with the most effective treatment possible.