One of the most ironic things about being human is that so many of the foods and drinks we enjoy the most do not provide us with nutritional value. At Foothill Dental Care, our dental professionals are particularly concerned about the bad ones for our teeth. We make sure to inform our patients on what foods they should limit and how some of the most popular drinks can have the worst impact on their overall dental health. Here are the top three drinks to avoid.
Soda
Sugar and acid are two of the most harmful things for our teeth, and unfortunately, carbonated beverages are made up of both. Sugar is dangerous because it feeds the harmful bacteria in our mouths, which excrete acid on our teeth. So, by drinking something acidic, we are applying the acid to our teeth ourselves. Tooth enamel begins dissolving at a ph of 5.5, and soft drinks range from a ph of 2.32 to 5.24. So, avoiding soda or cutting back considerable is best.
Sports Drinks
After a long and hard workout, many people turn to a refreshing sports drink to cool down. But those drinks that help replenish our electrolytes are full of sugar and acidic. These drinks are capable of dissolving tooth enamel, just like soda.
Fruit Juice
Fruit is a great healthy snack, and there are particular fruit can be good for your teeth. But, by drinking the juice on its own, we are soaking our teeth in the sugar and acid content. Without the fruit’s healthy fiber filter, drinking juice is not much better for our teeth than drinking soda.
Keeping Your Teeth Healthy
Coffee, black tea, and alcohol are also not good for our teeth. The dark ones can leave stains. And nowadays, people also tend to add a ton of sugar or sugar-filled creamers to their coffee and tea – not to mention the popular sugary lattes from Starbucks. Alcohol may not contain a lot of sugar, but it can dry out the mouth, which leaves you exposed to bacteria.
While at Foothill Dental Care, we know we cannot tell our patients to give up these drinks forever, we recommend cutting back and reducing the adverse effects. You can do this by drinking more water, maintaining good oral hygiene habits, and scheduling regular dental appointments.