FIZZY SOFT DRINKS AND YOUR TEETH

FIZZY SOFT DRINKS AND YOUR TEETH

A lot has been said and written about the harmful effects of Fizzy carbonated soft drinks on the teeth and body, but is this really true or is it just a media hype?

INGREDIENTS OF FIZZY DRINKS:

Most colas contain 90% water, sugar, carbon dioxide, phosphoric acid, citric acid, caffeine and other additives & preservatives. The acid level (pH) of colas has been measured at around 2.5 (1 being most acidic and 7 is for tap water). Citric acid is more acidic and this is found more in non-cola drinks like 7-up, Sprite etc.

EFFECT OF FIZZY DRINKS ON TEETH:

There is a two-fold effect. Each time you take a drink of a soda you get 20 seconds of acid attack on your teeth. The second effect is because of sugar that causes mouth bacteria to release more acids. These acids strip the natural protective layer on your teeth (pellicle) and the enamel begins to slowly lose its natural minerals and therefore breakdown and lead to decay.
You can feel the damage done to the tooth surface by passing your tongue along the front teeth after having a drink. You will feel that the surface has become rough. This is because the acid has etched the enamel. Soft drinks also lead to gradual staining of teeth.

WILL A TOOTH LEFT IN A GLASS OF COKE DISSOLVE OVERNIGHT?

This is a very common "Urban Legend" that is often discussed on the Internet, but very misleading. A 2004 study by the University of Maryland Dental School, in the US, submerged extracted teeth in glasses of water, cola, non-cola, coffee, iced tea, Nesquik, orange juice & drain cleaner. It was found that after 14 days the teeth hadn’t disappeared, but there was considerable damage done to all the teeth. Non-cola drinks caused the most tooth erosion followed by cola drinks. According to this study, two weeks of total immersion in a soft drink is the equivalent of about 13 years of actual drinking.
After 4 weeks, the tooth submerged in cola had become brown and sticky. The other glasses showed milder disintegration of teeth. The tooth in the drain cleaner was pearly white (because of bleaching effect) and had split into two.
One must remember that these were dead teeth while the teeth in our mouth are alive. Also this study doesn’t take into effect the protection offered by saliva. This study doesn't duplicate life exactly, but it shows how the enamel is definitely dissolving off the teeth.

WHAT DO COLA COMPANIES HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS?

Coca Cola’s website states that "Almost all foods naturally contain a small amount of acid, including fruit juices & buttermilk. Phosphoric acid provides phosphorus, which is an essential element of bones and tissues. None of these foods are acidic enough to harm our body tissues. Our own natural stomach acid is stronger. Insufficient calcium intake, hormonal imbalances, lack of physical activity, and normal aging processes are the primary causes of weak bones."

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT THIS DAMAGE:

1.Use a straw to sip, as this reduces the contact to the teeth.

2.Swishing with water after having a drink can neutralize the acid.

3.One way to reduce the effect of acid is to drink it only during meals.

4.Adding ice to the drink dilutes the acid.

5.Regular tooth brushing, especially at night, helps remove the damaging acids.

6.Finish drinking soon instead of sipping it gradually.

7.Regular Professional Dental Cleaning is advised to maintain teeth.

CONCLUSION:

Drinking any type of soft drinks- cola, non-cola or fruit juices can cause varying degrees of harm to your teeth. They all contain acids that cause teeth erosion. They contain sugar, which causes decay. But there are no vitamins or minerals in fizzy drinks unlike fruit juices and other natural foods, and hence we don’t derive any benefits from them.
We don’t need to stop drinking fizzy drinks. We just need to understand what’s going on and take the appropriate preventative steps to reduce the problem.