How Does Soda Affect Your Teeth?
It’s fair to say that many of us enjoy a sweet treat once in a while: a well-deserved slice of birthday cake, ice cream with the kids, or concession stand goodies at the movies. However, when sugary indulgences happen too often, this habit can harm your oral health.
Especially damaging to teeth? Soda. In addition to its negative impact on your overall health, the ingredients in regular sodas can also affect your oral health.
Effects of Soda on Teeth
How is soda bad for your oral health? Soda is one of the worst drinks for your teeth, posing two problems: the sugar from soda can lead to tooth decay, and its acids can weaken your tooth enamel. The latter makes your teeth even more susceptible to tooth decay and cavities. Children are especially vulnerable: tooth enamel on baby teeth is already thinner than in adult teeth, and, as we know, kids aren’t always the most diligent when it comes to brushing and flossing.
Oral bacteria, sugar, and teeth: Any time you drink soda, the bacteria in your mouth starts metabolizing the sugars immediately. A byproduct of this process is a more acidic pH in your mouth, which weakens your protective tooth enamel and makes your teeth more susceptible to tooth decay.
Your teeth stay in this weakened state for about 20 minutes after you’ve finished your last sip of soda. Brushing right after can even harm your tooth enamel more than help because your tooth enamel is so soft.
Dehydration and dry mouth: Soda can be one of the worst drinks for teeth because it contributes to dehydration. Caffeine in soda can lead to dry mouth, and when you have too little saliva, it’s harder to wash away plaque and food debris.
But it’s not only caffeine that’s dehydrating. Too much sugar can speed up dehydration as well. Your kidneys have to work overtime to process extra glucose, and if they can’t keep up, the excess glucose leaves your body through your urine, taking with it fluids from your tissues and dehydrating them.
Acids and Carbonation
Sugar and caffeine aren’t the only culprits in soda. The different acidic ingredients, whether to boost flavor or improve shelf life by inhibiting bacteria or fungi, can erode your tooth enamel.
As for soda’s bubbles? One experiment showed that carbonation might have a small effect on tooth enamel over flat water, but any negative outcome may be from acidic flavorings more than the carbonation itself. On the other hand, the American Dental Association says bubbles really have no impact. In any case, sparkling water is nowhere near as damaging as regular soda and is a preferred alternative if you want something fizzy.
Is Diet Soda Bad For Your Teeth?
Now, you might be wondering if drinking diet or sugar-free soda will help you avoid the oral health issues associated with regular sodas. While your teeth will be happy without the sugar, diet and sugar-free sodas still have the acidity — and maybe the caffeine — that still makes soda a less-than-ideal choice for teeth.
How to Reduce the Effect of Soda on Your Teeth
We know it can be hard to completely cut out soda. But our doctors and the team at Foundations Orthodontics have a few suggestions for minimizing the effects of soda on your teeth:
Choose flat water instead (the best!)
Reach for milks, or unsweetened and herbal teas
Enjoying soda in moderation
Consume it quickly, so it has less time to damage your enamel
Drink it with food when you have an increased level of saliva
Brush teeth 30-60 minutes after drinking soda instead of right away
Can You Drink Soda With Braces?
Drinking soda with braces means sugar gets stuck in the nooks and crannies of your appliance as well as on your teeth. More places for sugar to sit means a higher likelihood of tooth decay and eventual cavities.
Cavities with braces is a situation best avoided. Dr. Moran and Dr. White might have to remove your braces so your dentist can fix your dental damage. And removing braces means prolonging your treatment time.
So bottom line, can you drink soda with braces? It’s best avoided. How about drinking soda with clear braces specifically? Well, although clear braces are designed as stain resistant, lots of dark-colored drinks and foods might discolor both them and your teeth.
Soda and Teeth? Skip It For Healthier Teeth
Reducing or eliminating regular soda from your diet can go a long way in keeping your teeth healthy. And, of course, maintain diligent oral hygiene: brush twice a day, floss daily, and see your dentist twice annually for a checkup and cleaning.
Have more questions about the effects of soda on teeth? Make an appointment with Dr. Moran or Dr. White for a visit to our Denver, Granby, Winter Park, or new Homestead Park office in Centennial. We’d be happy to chat with you at your orthodontic consultation.