Have you ever seen the video where someone puts a baby tooth in a glass of soda and watches it decay?
Well, the effect of soda in an actual mouth is a bit different. Although saliva and other things you eat throughout the day, help to wash away most of the sugar, soda is not something we recommend you consume more often than once-in-awhile.
Here’s why:
Sugar
Soda has an extremely high sugar content. The bacteria that causes tooth decay feeds off of sugar and excrete acid, which eats away at the tooth (this is tooth decay). The more sugar teeth interact with, the more prone to decay they will be.
Acids
Some people think diet soda is a better alternative as it contains zero sugar, but diet soda, just like regular soda, still contains acids such as phosphoric acid or citric acid. These acids eats away at a tooth’s enamel and leaves it prone to decay.
Colors
Caramel color, Yellow 5, and other types of artificial coloring can cause tooth-staining.
Instead of soda, we recommend spicing up your daily beverages with other alternatives. How about some sparkling water or plain water infused with fresh fruit?
When you do drink soda, make sure to rinse with water afterwards. Most importantly brushing and flossing at least (2) twice a day will remove any remaining sugar, other debris or plaque. And, as always, keep up with regular preventative hygiene appointments (cleanings) at Las Vegas Dentistry to protect those precious teeth! So, if you prefer your teeth sparkling white, it’s best to stay away from soda.
