How do drinks affect your teeth

As the enamel becomes weaker due to the acid, it increases the likelihood of developing cavities. Non-Cola drinks and sports beverages can cause up to 11 times greater damage to your teeth than cola-based drinks.

Energy drinks and bottled lemonades can also cause significant damage. Bottled tea, water and cola-based drinks are comparatively safer but have also been proven to be harmful to our teeth.

Alcoholic beverages such as beer are rich in sugar which can also cause severe damage to the enamel. Water and coffee do not have any effect on teeth, and usually increase saliva, which helps protect the teeth from these bacterias.

Dental erosion also depends on a lot of other factors such as irresponsible diet, lifestyle, and genetics. The most effective way to reduce tooth decay and cavities is by reducing the consumption of sugary drinks and choosing more healthy options such as water or milk.

Another effective way to reduce dental decay includes rinsing your mouth repeatedly with water to flush out all the remnant sugar after ingestion. This acid attacks your teeth. Both regular and sugar-free sodas also contain their own acids, and these attack the teeth too. If you sip all day, your teeth are under constant attack.

Erosion begins when the acids in soft drinks encounter the tooth enamel, which is the outermost protective layer on your teeth. Their effect is to reduce the surface hardness of the enamel. Soft drinks, on the other hand, can also affect the next layer, dentin, and even composite fillings.

This damage to your tooth enamel can invite cavities. Cavities, or caries, develop over time in people who drink soft drinks regularly.

Add in poor oral hygiene, and a lot of damage can occur to the teeth. The obvious solution? Stop drinking soda. There are things you can do to lessen the risk of damaging your teeth, however. Finally, you can do less damage to your teeth by choosing soft drinks that have a lower acid content.

Each acid attack lasts for around 20 minutes. Every time you take a sip of the drink, the acid damage begins all over again. How to fight tooth decay and erosion Drink soft drinks only in moderation, if at all. Use a straw so your teeth are less exposed to the sugar and acid in the drink. Take a drink of water, preferably tap water that has been fluoridated, after a sugary or acidic drink to help rinse out your mouth and dilute the sugars.

The sugars in soft drinks interact with bacteria in your mouth to form acid. This acid attacks your teeth. If you sip all day, your teeth are under constant attack. To give you an idea of how much acid and sugar are in some of your favorite drinks might be, consider the following numbers:.

However, there are measures you can take to reduce the risk of damage to your teeth. Members Home. Employers Home.