When it comes to getting a drink with a meal, the most commonly consumed beverage here in the United States is soda. In fact, statistics have shown that 50 to 80 percent of adolescents and nearly half of Americans of all ages consume at least one soda per day. Unfortunately, it turns out that this kind of soda consumption can end up having negative effects on your oral health. In fact, soda can actually corrupt your teeth to the point where they will need to be replaced with dental implants. Today, Drs. Joseph Field, Bruce Hartley, and John McFarlane are blogging from their Los Altos, CA office to talk about some of the ways that soda is working against your smile.

The Corrosive Properties of Soda

Soda can affect your teeth in two different ways. These are:

Sugar

Soda is very bad for our teeth because of how much sugar is put into it. Whenever you drink a soda, this sugar is plastered to your teeth, where it will begin to attract bacteria. Bacteria uses this sugar to create acids that will proceed to eat away at the enamel of your teeth. Eventually, these acids can get past the enamel and begin to corrupt the inner layers of your teeth. This process is called tooth decay.

Carbonation

Another reason why soda is so bad for our teeth is because of the fact that it is carbonated. In order to carbonate beverages like soda, carbonic acid is used. Much like the acids produced by the bacteria on your teeth, carbonic acid is also able to eat away at the enamel of your teeth. In fact, every time you drink a soda, your teeth are exposed to a 20 to 30-minute long “acid attack”. Enough of these acid attacks can hurt your teeth to the point where they will need to be removed.

Ways to Lesson the Blow

We understand that even when faced with this knowledge, you may not be willing to give up soda. If this is your case, then there are some steps you should consider taking that will at least lessen the damage caused by your drink of choice. For instance, you should consider drinking soda through a straw. By doing so, you can prevent your teeth from getting a full blast of the stuff. You should also consider drinking your soda quickly, as taking longer than 30 minutes to finish one soda can expose your teeth to a second acid attack. Lastly, drink water directly after finishing your soda. By swishing some water around your mouth after your soda, you can wash away some of the acid and sugar hanging around.

Call and Schedule a Consultation at the Peninsula Center of Cosmetic Dentistry

While unlikely to harm your teeth if consumed in moderation, drinking too much soda can affect your teeth to the point where they will need to be removed and replaced with dental implants. If you have lost teeth to soda and would like to find out whether or not you might be a good candidate for treatment with dental implants, please contact us and schedule a no-obligation consultation with Dr. Joseph Field, Dr. Bruce Hartley, or Dr. John McFarlane today.