Sugary Beverages
Sodas and Sports Beverages Bad for Teeth
Drinking to New Health Problems
As more people turn to colas and sports drinks, they face a new set of health problems. Both beverages, which are high in calories and sugar while low in nutrients, have been linked to obesity in numerous studies. Phosphorus, a common ingredient in soda, has been proven to deplete calcium in bones and cause bone weakening.
Most recently, a study by Dr. Anthony von Fraunhofer, Professor of Biomaterials Science at the University of Maryland Dental School, and published by the Academy of General Dentistry, showed how carbonated beverages and sports drinks can cause irreversible damage to dental enamel, potentially resulting in severe tooth decay and gum disease.
Dental enamel is the thin, outer layer of your teeth that protects them from decay and holds their structure and shape together. In von Fraunhofers study, enamel from cavity free molars and premolars was continually exposed to a variety of beverages, including energy and sports drinks, colas, and non-cola beverages, such as lemonade and iced tea, over a period of 14 days. The length of the exposure was comparable to 13 years of normal beverage consumption.
After exposure, the study revealed that colas significantly eroded enamel, but sports and energy drinks caused three to eleven times more damage. In colas, researchers attribute the enamel breakdown to phosphorous and citric acids. With sports drinks, however, additives and organic acids broke down calcium and eroded dental enamel more quickly than the chemicals in cola did.
Protecting Your Teeth
Because of this study, the Academy of General Dentistry recommends limiting the intake of soda and sports drinks. Choose water or low fat milk when you’re thirsty to preserve dental enamel and ultimately protect your teeth from decay. When you want to enjoy a carbonated or sports beverage, drink with a full meal, and be sure to brush and floss soon afterwards. If you drink a sugary or carbonated beverage without eating, chew sugarless gum afterward to increase your saliva flow.