Most people are aware of the effects our dietary choices can
have on our oral health. As well, many individuals have been schooled since
childhood on how plaque affects teeth and how sugary drinks contribute to this.
Despite all this knowledge, it is implausible to expect individuals to keep their
teeth clean 100 percent of the time by eliminating “dangerous” drinks from
their diets.
However, simply being aware of and minimizing the dangers
present in certain drinks to oral health goes a long way toward protecting the
teeth. While plenty of foods present the same risks, the focus here will be on
the worst types of drinks for oral health, some of which can be found below.
Soda
Many can agree there aren’t any aspects of soda that
contribute positively to oral health—even diet sodas are merely an attempt to
reduce negative effects but not eliminate them. The link between cavities and
soda consumption has also been backed up by many studies.
Being highly acidic, soda can harm teeth more than sugar by
striping the teeth’s enamel of minerals, meaning diet soda is still bad for
teeth due to the presence of phosphoric and citric acid. Regular soda, with those
added dangers, provide bacteria with the sugar-rich environment that is perfect
for building up plaque.
Sports and Energy Drinks
Despite a healthy-sounding name, sports drinks are loaded
with acids and sugars, making the likelihood of developing cavities very great.
During a study about the effects of acidic beverages on teeth, it was found that
sports drinks were the most erosive, even when ranked against energy drinks and
sodas.
As well, just as sports drinks were ranked the most erosive,
the same study found that energy drinks were the most acidic as well as the second
most erosive, making their cavity-causing potential just as significant.
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages, no matter the type, pose a considerable
threat to oral health as it can cause both dry mouth and dehydration. The
former is especially important because dry mouth reduces the flow of saliva,
which can, over time, lead to serious problems, such as cavities and gum disease.
Sugary alcoholic drinks, such as cocktails, have an added
danger by coating teeth in sugar. Wine also deserves special recognition for
the staining effects it can have on teeth as well as its high acid. Red wine tends
to stain teeth more while white wine is typically more acidic, making the
latter likely more dangerous to the teeth’s enamel.
Coffee
As is common knowledge, coffee stains are some of the worst
for teeth, and they’re also incredibly resistant. As with wine, coffee can dry
out the mouth and make teeth sticky, which doesn’t even account for any sugar
added to sweeten coffee, the effects of which are already well-known, as well
as the drink’s high acidity.
As stated previously, no one is expected to stop drinking their
favorite drink, but they can minimize the damage by drinking water afterwards
and avoiding additives like sugar.
Fruit Juices
While not as bad as previous entries, it should be noted fruit
juices are linked to an increased risk of cavities due to their high acidity. Admittedly,
100 percent fruit juices contain a few
health benefits, but it would be wise to rinse out your mouth with water after
drinking them.
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Copyright: maridav
/ 123RF Stock Photo
