The Slow Descent of Sipping Soda
We’ve all heard the phrase “Sip all day, get decay”. This is no myth!
Soda is highly acidic and is filled with sugar. The more acidic the mouth becomes the more conducive to the cavity causing bacteria, and that bacteria feeds on the sugar.
The healthy mouth is neutral, so sipping soda rather than drinking it exposes your mouth to the acid and the sugar long term. This can quickly make a big difference in the way it affects the health of your teeth. When we eat or drink anything, it is normal for the acidity level in our mouths to drop in to an unhealthy level where the cavity causing bacteria thrive in this environment. Once you are done eating or drinking, it still takes an additional 40 minutes for your mouth to return to a neutral level.
Think about it: If you drink a soda in a 10 minute time frame, your mouth will be acidic for 10 minutes + the 40 minutes it takes to return to normal. A total of 50 minutes. If you sip a soda for an hour, your mouth with be acidic for 60 minutes + 40 minutes. A total of 1.6 hours. This is a long period of time for bacteria to grow and attack the enamel on your teeth. No wonder soda sippers have a higher rate of tooth decay!
So can I switch to Sports Drinks? Sports drinks may boost your energy, but they contain levels of acid that can cause tooth softening, tooth erosion, hypersensitivity, and staining.
Link - Sports Drinks May Damage Your Teeth
What about diet Soda? - Diet soda still has the same level of acidity and contains Aspartame. A lot of research is finding that Aspartame is harmful to health. But that is for another blog, another day.
Some helpful hints for those of you who still like to enjoy a soda: swish your mouth with water after enjoying a soft drink. This will help reduce the amount of time your mouth stays acidic. You can also brush your teeth or chew a piece of sugar free gum (preferable sweetened with xylitol which has been shown to eliminate the harmful bacteria). Also, it is important to know that not all sodas are created equal! While Pepsi and Coke are most acidic next to battery acid, Root Beer is less acidic.
Talk with your hygienist about alternative drinks you can enjoy that have a lower risk of causing cavities. A cavity free exam = a happy dental staff!
Rockwood 25
11:32 pm on Saturday, April 21, 2012
Unfortunately, it's true. Sipped on sodas at the local fast food joint while in high school, then worked there and sipped on soda from the time I started (6 a.m. in the summers) until I got off (late at night when closing). I then wouldn't brush when I got home so as not to wake the folks. Around high school graduation, I had 8 fillings put in within a year -- the only ones I ever had in my life. Not one before, not one after. Turned out the metal fillings caused me migraines, insomnia, chilled hands and feet and much more, only to be found out decades later when all disappeared when fillings were replaced with a nonallergenic white substance. Dropped pounds quick when I got off the soda, too, and kept it off.
Michael Rhodes
2:25 pm on Monday, April 23, 2012
My one vice is my Diet Pepsi. I have had good dental reviews (haven't had a cavity in over 15 years). I know the soda isn't good for me (ie: bad for me), but can't bring myself to drink tap water all the time. Even flavored bottle water as an acidic ingrediant in it.
Gregory A Pucel DDS
3:16 pm on Monday, April 23, 2012
As noted in the article, diet soda, and in your case Diet Pepsi contains Aspartame. There is a lot of negative ramification to these artificial sweetners. For instance.....
http://www.naturalnews.com/035647_food_industry_ingredients_chemicals.html#ixzz1stczfL75
Aspartame, Acesulfame K, Sucralose, Sorbitol, Truvia, and of course, Saccharin. Because they taste sweet, these chemical sweeteners trick the body into ingesting them and holding on to them for extended periods of time, turning rancid in the body fat. Fake sugars are the "Trojan horses" of the cell-choking and mutating, food agent industry. Sorbitol is also found in many vaccines.
Stevia is a nautral sugar substitute that seems to be the safest from an overall health view point. One brand of soda that uses Stevia is called Zevia. ( I know that it is available at Whole Foods).
But your sugar intake is only part of the story. The makeup of your saliva plays a major role. check out.....
http://gregorypuceldds.blogspot.com/2012/02/when-flossing-is-not-enough.html
Bonnie Krueger
6:46 pm on Monday, April 23, 2012
I have an on-going discussion (re: battle! ) with my husband regarding what to drink when you have the stomach flu. I say stick with water, to replenish the water you lose in vomiting an diarrhea. He says Gatorade or juice is better--even a white soda. I think those are diuretics and will make you worse or upset your stomach (sugar content). I realize you are writing on dental health, but could you address this issue?
Gregory A Pucel DDS
7:27 pm on Thursday, April 26, 2012
As a dentist and not a medical doctor, i had to rely on the internet for the answer.
The answer is yes and no. While gatorade will replace electrolytes, the high percentage of salts and minerals to water (hypertonic solution) could cause further dehydration.
Dr. Nick Barnes
7:35 am on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Drink water first, always! Gatorade is usually filled with high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, or sucralose, this will only continue to make you sicker and sicker. If this is affecting your teeth, what is it doing to your organs? Also, whether something affects your teeth or not, if it is a chemical, it is never going to make you healthier. For someone who is truly dehydrated or training hard for a marathon/long bike ride/etc, the best option that I have found for my patients is Coconut water. It is 100% natural with no fake man made chemicals. Thanks Dr. Pucel for posting this article! You can go to www.212Degreesofwellness.com for more articles on soda as well. This is a huge problem in our society and it needs to stop! There is no reason or excuse for people to continue to damage their bodies after you see the rate of sickness and disease skyrocket in our country