TOOTH SMART DENTAL BLOG

sip all day get decay

Sip all day, Get Decay

Are you one of those people who like to sip or drink soda or cola or fruit juices all day? If you are, then this Blog Post is for you! Carbonated drinks (soda weather regular or diet) are extremely acidic. They usually contain Citric Acid, Phosphoric Acid or Tartaric Acid as a common ingredient which destroys teeth enamel by erosion, this can lead to temperature sensitivity, or pain in teeth and darkening of teeth. Sweetened sodas or any other sweetened flavour drinks like energy drinks, flavoured milks or flavoured fruit juices are even worse they are what we call “Double Trouble” because they have both high sugar and acid content. Sugar in these drinks feeds bacteria that causes decay and forms cavity in your teeth. Orange Juice decrease tooth hardness by 84%. Acid in lemon and lime juice is almost as corrosive as battery acid. Majority of sports drinks are extremely erosive. High Sugar content and low pH makes all these drinks a terrible choice for your teeth. High intake of these drinks is not only bad for your teeth, but it is bad for your general health also, as high sugar can cause weight gain which in turn can lead to chronic conditions like obesity, diabetes.

Fact Sheet – How much sugar is in what we drink?

Drink Type Amount of Sugar in Grams Amount of Sugar in Teaspoons
Water 0g 0 Tsp
Low Fat Milk (250ml/1 Cup) 14g 3 Tsp
100% Fruit Juice (250ml/1 Cup) 24g 6 Tsp
Flavoured Milk (300ml) 28g + 7 Tsp
Flavoured Fruit Drink (250ml/1 Cup) 27g + 6.5 Tsp
Energy Drink (600ml) 36g + 8.5 Tsp
Soft Drink Can (375ml) 38g + 9 Tsp
Soft Drink (600ml) 64g + 15 Tsp
Soft Drink Bottle (1.25L) 140g+ 33 Tsp

*The above information is from Australian Government Department of Health.

So next time you pick up a can of soda can you imagine eating 9 teaspoons of sugar in one go.

So what is the best way to stop getting your teeth damage by sodas/energy drinks/fruit juices/flavoured milk?

STOP DRINKING IT!

Or at least cut down your daily intake to occasional.

Some tips for you on way to lessen the harmful effects that these drinks have on your teeth:

  • Limit intake of these drinks with food, instead of having it on its own.
  • Sip soda through a straw as it minimises the contact between teeth and acidic drink.
  • You can eat a small piece of cheese afterwards, dairy products help re-balance oral pH and re-mineralize tooth enamel.
  • Always rinse your mouth with water afterwards.
  • Please do not brush your teeth straight after drinking soda, this is because acid in soda binds to tooth enamel and mechanical action of brushing helps the erosion process.
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