23 August 2017

The Danger of Soft Drinks

In general, we all agree that soft drinks taste good. What many people do not realise is how detrimental they can be to your teeth. The sugar in soft drinks react with the plaque in your mouth and forms acid. This acid erodes your tooth enamel over time which causes dental cavities.

What is even more alarming is the fact that soft drinks, even if they are “sugar-free”  contain additional acids that can also eat away your teeth’s enamel.

It is not so much the total quantity per day, but the frequency that matters.  Sipping on soft drinks for hours on end or swishing frequently when thirsty and late at night, are all much worse than downing a can or two with lunch, to get it over with.

Brushing right after a soft drink can make things worse as you wear away the softened enamel.  Rather rinse your mouth with water or chew some sugar free gum with “Xylitol” sweetener.

Eating hard cheese after a soda,  and allowing it to dissolve in your mouth can also be beneficial.  We recommend “tooth mousse” to many of our patients to combat the ill effects of soda consumption.

We recommend drinking soft drinks in moderation or better still – DRINK WATER!