What does Soda do to your Teeth?

Louisville, KY

Nearly half of Americans drink at least one soda or soft drink per day. Many people consume multiple soft drinks daily. This consumption is more frequent among men than women, and especially among teenage boys. There are several health risks associated with the regular consumption of these drinks: obesity and type 2 diabetes just to name a couple, but drinking soda also can wreak havoc on your oral health. Read on as, today on the blog, your family dentist in Louisville explains how soft drinks affect your teeth.

What happens when you drink soda?

Soft drinks pose two main threats to your oral health: sugar and acid. Even a sugar-free or diet soda contains acids that can be harmful, due to the carbonation in the soda. If you are the type to sip on a soft drink all day long, that just means your teeth are under constant attack from these sugars and acids.

The two main dental consequences of drinking soda

• Erosion: The acids in a soft drink wear away at your tooth enamel, the protective outer layer of your tooth structure. That enamel also protects your teeth from damage, decay and injury.
• Cavities: Once the enamel becomes compromised, especially due to frequent consumption of soft drinks, then your tooth becomes more susceptible to decay. This risk magnifies if you have poor oral hygiene practices.

How to reduce the dental risk from soft drinks

The most obvious option is to stop drinking sodas, but this is easier said than done for many individuals. You also can opt for soft drinks that have a lower acid content; Coca-Cola and Pepsi, for example, are two of the most acidic sodas available. Sprite and diet sodas have less acid but are still highly acidic.

You can also follow these tips to lessen the damage that soft drinks can do to your teeth:

• Moderation – Try to limit yourself to one soft drink per day.
• Don’t sip – Nursing a soft drink for hours does inordinate damage to your dental health because of the additional acidic exposure. The faster you drink a soda, the less time the sugars and acids interact with your teeth.
• Use a straw – Drinking a soda with a straw limits the amount of exposure your teeth have to the harmful sugars and acids.
• Rinse with water – Swishing water after you finish your soda washes away any sugars and acids that are left to linger on your teeth.
• Do not brush right away – Brushing your teeth right after finishing a soft drink actually is a bad idea. This is because the friction of the toothbrush against your teeth right after they have been attacked by the sugars and acids might do additional damage. Instead, wait 30-60 minutes before brushing.
• Get regular dental cleanings – If you are one of the approximately 50% of Americans who drink sodas, then this makes it especially important to get regular dental cleanings every six months, as recommended by the American Dental Association. 

Family dentistry in Louisville and Shepherdsville, Kentucky, and Jeffersonville, Indiana

Are you getting your cleanings on schedule? Maybe you have lapsed or you need a new dentist. Exceptional Dentistry is now seeking new patients at each of our three locations in Kentuckiana. Schedule your consultation by calling (502) 423-7868 or complete our online appointment form.