SWEETS

March, 2012 »  

How Sweet It Is —   (part 1)

We all do it.  You’re thirsty.  Your kids are thirsty.  What’s the handiest thing to grab out of the refrigerator?  Soda.  It’s everywhere.  Even if you try to avoid it, it’s in the grocery checkout aisle, at the local pool, at work.  And of course, what goes best with your fast food burger?  That’s a no-brainer. 

Soft drinks are an American’s single biggest source of refined sugars accounting for 1/3 of their average intake. ¹   Let’s face it, it tastes good, it satisfies a craving, but essentially, there really is nothing of nutritional value in soda.

What effects does soda have on teeth?  Drinking regular soda often tends to promote tooth decay.  This happens because the teeth are coated with sugar water.  This is especially bad for frequent soda drinkers since the longer the sugar sits on tooth enamel, the worse its effect.  Sugar softens the enamel allowing cavities to form.  There is also a high acid content in soda, which causes tooth erosion.  Erosion can cause sensitivity to hot and cold things and could leave the tooth susceptible to decay. You may be thinking your chompers are safe because you drink diet soda, which contains no sugar.  Unfortunately, diet soda also has a high acid content, which, again, can cause erosion of tooth enamel.

And, let’s not forget how we all want our teeth to look bright and white.  Dark sodas are a contributor to staining of tooth enamel leaving our teeth with a not so shiny disposition.

Obviously the best thing to do is to try to avoid soda all together.  Drink something else.  We all know that water is an excellent thirst quencher and our bodies need it, a lot of it. 

But, if you can’t seem to stay away from that sugar laden little devil in a can, there are a few things that you should do to help prevent the problems that soda can cause which are recommended by the American Dental Association.  One thing, which is the most important, is to brush as soon as you can after drinking soda.  If you aren’t able to brush, rinse your mouth out with water.  Another thing you can do is to buy a fluoride rinse like ACT.  Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel.  You may even want to have a professional strength fluoride placed on your teeth at your dental visits.

Next time you have a craving for a soda, keep your teeth in mind and grab some water instead.  Your pearly whites will thank you.

Information compiled from the 1 Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and Szmanda Dental Center Staff.  © Szmanda Dental Center, S.C. 2012