Why does chewing on tinfoil hurt your fillings?!
Question: Some dental amalgams contain up to five dissimilar metals. Galvanic action between the metals different electrical potentials creates a electric cell in the tooth, which can generate currents of up to 10 microamps, a huge spike over normal body nerve currents of 3 microamps. People with extensive fillings can actually measure a weak voltage in their mouth from this action. This is all fine and dandy, until an outside element is introduced.
When the aluminum is introduced by the foil, it acts as an anode to the filling's cathode. The natural electrolytes present in saliva create a 'salt bridge' and the magic happens. The contact essentially short circuits the cell. A weak current flows between the electrodes (tooth and tinfoil) and is detected by the sensitive nerve of the tooth as an unpleasant sensation. Zap. To accompany the shock, a metallic taste can also be generated by tin ions released by the reaction.
P.S. please stop chewing on tin foil
Answers: Some dental amalgams contain up to five dissimilar metals. Galvanic action between the metals different electrical potentials creates a electric cell in the tooth, which can generate currents of up to 10 microamps, a huge spike over normal body nerve currents of 3 microamps. People with extensive fillings can actually measure a weak voltage in their mouth from this action. This is all fine and dandy, until an outside element is introduced.
When the aluminum is introduced by the foil, it acts as an anode to the filling's cathode. The natural electrolytes present in saliva create a 'salt bridge' and the magic happens. The contact essentially short circuits the cell. A weak current flows between the electrodes (tooth and tinfoil) and is detected by the sensitive nerve of the tooth as an unpleasant sensation. Zap. To accompany the shock, a metallic taste can also be generated by tin ions released by the reaction.
P.S. please stop chewing on tin foil
Because humans don't eat much aluminum :)
why are we chewing on tin foil?