Dr. Brian Saby, here, from Red Deer, AB. I’d like to switch gears a little bit today to offer you some insight on a useful tip that’ll help you avoid tooth decay when consuming soft drinks.
As we all know, frequently consuming soft drinks can be pretty bad for your dental and overall health. Studies show that frequent exposure to sweet, acidic drinks plays a pivotal part in tooth staining and decay.
One study measured the corrosive power of soft drinks by submerging enamel strips from freshly extracted teeth into Coke, Pepsi, RC cola, and 7 Up. They weighed the enamel strips before they performed the experiment and then weighed them again afterwards.
What they found was incredible. The enameled strips actually ended up losing more than 5 percent of their weight.
This experiment is somewhat unrealistic since you wouldn’t actually submerge your teeth when you drink a soda. However, the study does give you some insight into the destructive capabilities of sodas.
Not all is lost for those of you out there who want to maintain proper dental health and still enjoy the occasional soda. There might be a way to succumb to your guilty pleasure without it being bad for your teeth.
How to Drink Soft Drinks
While it’s recommended to avoid soft drinks to maintain a healthy lifestyle, the best way to drink soft drinks (or other sugary drinks) is to simply drink from a straw. You just have to make sure that you’re not putting the straw against your teeth.
Tips to Cut Back on Enamel Erosion:
- Don’t swish fluids around in your mouth
- Sip soft drinks through a straw that’s positioned in the back of your mouth to limit its contact with the teeth
- Brush in a circular motion. Brushing in a horizontal motion can wear away already weakened enamel
- Wait a little while before you brush after you’ve had a soft drink, since the brush can harm the weakened enamel
- Use an enamel strengthening toothpaste and drink fluoridated water
Contact Our Office in Red Deer, AB
You might still have questions about maintaining proper oral hygiene and enamel erosion, in which case you should talk to your dentist. Stay tuned to our blog if you’d like to hear more about the procedures that we offer and interesting helpful tidbits for maintaining good oral health.
If you’re unhappy with your current state of dental health or have unsightly enamel damage, then you might want to think about cosmetic alternatives, such as dental implants.
To schedule a consult, give Dr. Saby in Red Deer, AB a call at (403) 340-3434 today.
And remember, next time you enjoy a nice fizzy soda to use a straw.