Can you drink soda and have healthy teeth? (2023)

Can you drink soda and still have good teeth?

Carbonation also adds to the acidity of soft drinks. These acids can erode and reduce the hardness of the enamel that protects your teeth and lead to tooth decay. So even diet sodas and other sugar-free carbonated beverages can lead to cavities.

Root beer

It's less acidic than most sodas and therefore slightly less damaging to your teeth.

While it may seem like a good idea to brush your teeth right after having a soda, you should actually wait thirty to sixty minutes. The friction from brushing could potentially cause more harm as the teeth are vulnerable from the sugar and acid attacking them.

Tooth enamel does not grow back, but it can be restored to some degree by remineralization. Using mineralized toothpaste and mouthwash can strengthen your remaining enamel as the minerals will be drawn to the weak spots in your teeth and bond with the surface.

While it appears the worst offenders are citrus, and fruit-flavored dark colas, the light-colored soft drinks, teas, and ginger ale are all particularly harmful for tooth enamel. Teeth that come into contact regularly with soft drinks can lose up to 5% of their density and enamel weight over time.

Tiny bacteria live between and around teeth and, when exposed to the sugar in soft drinks, produce an acid that causes damage to tooth enamel, which eventually leads to decay and cavities. And it doesn't take long—this acid can begin to wreak havoc in only 20 minutes!

You can take a variety of precautions to prevent tooth decay, but the most effective one is to not drink soda at all. Drink in moderation – Don't have more than one soft drink each day. Just one will do damage enough.

Dark beverages such as soda, tea, and coffee are all known to cause discoloration of the teeth, and when you sip from a glass, they fully coat your teeth. So, by drinking through a straw to send beverages past your front teeth, you reduce their ability to discolor them.

Sierra Mist is often considered one of the healthiest sodas you can drink because a 12-ounce can contains 140 calories, 35 milligrams of sodium, and 37 grams of carbohydrates.

If you are to compare alcohol and soft drinks from a nutrition point of view then alcohol is easily your winner as soft drinks have absolutely no nutritional value with processed sugar being one of the major components.

Why do adults start losing teeth?

Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is the number one cause of tooth loss among adults—accounting for 70 percent of missing teeth. It begins with bacteria and inflammation in the gums.

Rinse your mouth with water: Flushing your mouth with some water after drinking soda will help wash away any remaining sugars and acids, stopping them from attacking your teeth. Wait before you brush: Despite what you may think, brushing your teeth immediately after you have a soda isn't a good idea.

Even if you leave out the ice, drinking cold water causes your tooth enamel to weaken, which makes anything else you intake in the near future much more likely to develop staining or decay within the tooth.

How often is it OK to use baking soda to brush teeth? The Journal of the American Dental Association states that baking soda is safe for daily use. It is a good idea to only use baking soda to brush the teeth once per day. Use a good fluoride toothpaste to brush teeth the rest of the time.

As the enamel continues to erode, your teeth might turn a gray or yellowish color. If your teeth change shape, it's a good indicator that you have enamel damage. Your teeth may begin to appear rounded, develop ridges, and often the gaps between teeth will become more substantial.

Enamel formation on a child's permanent teeth begins during infancy and continues until somewhere around age 7 or 8 (with the exception of the enamel on the wisdom teeth, which forms later).

Tea. Certain teas, such as green and black tea, are also good options when it comes to your teeth. Both green and black tea contain compounds known as polyphenols, which support healthy enamel and help to protect against oral health issues like dental erosion and tooth decay.

Coffee is the clear winner, particularly if you don't add sugar! Cola has 43 times more calories than the same volume of long black. A can of cola contains about ten teaspoons of sugar and virtually no nutrients.

The dark pigment of coffee can also stain teeth after extended exposure to a tooth with weakened enamel. However, because soda has a dark pigment that can stain teeth, coffee is the better choice of beverage, between the two, for overall dental health.

What drinks affect your teeth the most?

Sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, iced and sweet teas, and fruit juices all have high acid levels. Most of these drinks also contain sugar, which has the potential to be doubly damaging to teeth. Surprising to most, sparkling waters also contains a low pH level of between 2.74 and 3.34, making them highly acidic.

Water is a great mouth cleaner because it washes away leftover food and residue that cavity-causing bacteria love to eat. The cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth love to eat sugar and produce acid that wears away enamel, which is the outer shell of your teeth.

How Does Coffee Harm Your Teeth? Despite the health benefits, drinking too much coffee can leave a lasting mark on your smile. In fact, research shows it can increase your risk of cavities because it's acidic, which can erode your enamel. As your enamel becomes thinner, it can also lead to tooth sensitivity.

Many people drink diet soda to help with weight loss, thinking it's a better option. However, the acids contained in diet drinks are just as bad for your teeth as their sugary counterparts. Diet sodas may not contain sugar, but they typically cause the same dental erosion.

The tooth enamel gets beaten

Acids found in fruit juices can lead to the tooth enamel eroding faster. Fruit juice is healthier than fizzy drinks but they're more acidic and can also cause more damage to the teeth.

We know this may seem like a myth, but it's true. Drinking with a straw instead of sipping directly out of a cup can protect teeth. But how, exactly? When we drink through a straw, less of the liquid comes in contact with teeth, and less contact means less sugar or acid is left hanging around.

When allowed to pool in the mouth soda can have a harsh effect on teeth. By using a straw, positioned towards the back of the mouth, it is possible to reduce the effects of those highly acidic beverages, which can weaken tooth enamel. In conclusion, drinking through a straw can be a real life saver to your oral health!

The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is: About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men. About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women.

The bottom line. Sprite is a caffeine-free lemon-lime soda. Yet, its high added sugar content can provide a quick boost of energy. That said, Sprite and other sugary sodas should be limited in a healthy diet.

What is healthier to drink than soda?

They can cause a dramatic surge of sugar levels in your body. This could eventually lead to insulin resistance – the culprit behind Type 2 Diabetes. So, on that score, alcohol is less damaging than soft drinks. However, cocktails – which are sugary alcoholic drinks, have the same effect on your body as soft drinks.

Water has no calories, so it can also help with managing body weight and reducing calorie intake when substituted for drinks with calories, such as sweet tea or regular soda. Water helps your body: Keep a normal temperature. Lubricate and cushion joints.

"The bottom line is that though the sugar content might be similar, eating donuts is not technically healthier than drinking a bottle of soda," Dr. Laing said.

There are absolutely zero health benefits to drinking soda. Whether regular or diet, caffeinated or caffeine-free, all sodas have negative health effects.

The average age for losing the first tooth is 6 or 7 years old. And the first ones to fall out are usually the first ones that came in, the bottom front teeth.

Most children lose their last baby tooth around the age of 12. All non-wisdom teeth are typically in place around your child's 13th birthday. Wisdom teeth may wait until age 21 to make their presence known.

A child's baby teeth (primary teeth) typically begin to loosen and fall out to make room for permanent teeth at about age 6. However, sometimes this can be delayed by as much as a year.

Soda and Sugary Drinks

Sodas and surgery beverages can increase your risk of tooth decay and acidic erosion. These beverages have have negative effects on dental crowns, causing wear and tear. Try to stay hydrated with water instead, saving other drinks as a treat.

When allowed to pool in the mouth soda can have a harsh effect on teeth. By using a straw, positioned towards the back of the mouth, it is possible to reduce the effects of those highly acidic beverages, which can weaken tooth enamel. In conclusion, drinking through a straw can be a real life saver to your oral health!

Is soda or coffee worse for your teeth?

The dark pigment of coffee can also stain teeth after extended exposure to a tooth with weakened enamel. However, because soda has a dark pigment that can stain teeth, coffee is the better choice of beverage, between the two, for overall dental health.

The average lifespan for a well-maintained dental crown is typically around 15 years. However, when taken care of properly, it is common to see them last upwards of 25-30 years.

Your crown may be “artificial,” but the supporting tooth underneath still needs routine oral care to stay healthy and sound. Even though the crown extends over the entire tooth surface, you still need to brush the crown carefully to remove sticky plaque film and to keep the crown looking its best.

Some crowns are able to last a lifetime whereas others may crack and need to be replaced. On average, a crown can last between 10 and 30 years when well cared for.

Similarly to regular soda, drinking diet sodas like Coke Zero is associated with an increased risk of tooth erosion. One of the main ingredients in Coke Zero is phosphoric acid. One study on human teeth noted that phosphoric acid causes mild enamel and tooth erosion ( 13 ).

Eat More Enamel-Strengthening Foods

High-calcium foods both neutralize the acid that harms enamel and can help add minerals back into tooth surfaces. As the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests, dairy products are a great calcium source, but many vegetables also are calcium-rich.

The following sodas are listed from lowest level of acid to highest: root beer, Diet 7UP, Diet Coke, Diet Mountain Dew, Sprite, Mountain Dew, 7UP, Coke Zero, Diet Dr. Pepper, Slice Orange, Squirt, Fanta Orange, Pepsi, Coca Cola, Cherry Coke.

When athletes sip on sports drinks and breathe through their mouths, they are creating an environment that's ideal for tooth decay. Research shows that the popular sports drink Gatorade causes the most enamel damage, even when compared to energy drinks and soda!

Cavities: Soft drink consumption is one of several leading causes of tooth decay. Soda is a triple threat to your teeth. Besides weakening tooth enamel, the carbonation, sugar and acids encourage the growth of bacteria in your mouth and on your teeth, which contribute to cavities.

Does milk damage teeth?

All types of milk can cause cavities if they are inappropriately consumed. For example, cavities on the upper front teeth can develop if a baby with teeth is put to bed at night with a bottle of milk. However, plain cow's milk typically does not cause cavities if it is given in a cup with meals.