Increased Sugar-Free Drinks Are Actually Causing Havoc to Your Tooth Enamel

Who doesn’t want to enjoy life to the fullest? Even though many engage in various habits that can harm one’s immune system gradually, everyone wants to live and enjoy life at whatever cost. As a result, we resort to healthy foodstuffs that even include sugar-free drinks. Sugar-free drinks have for long been described as one of the best routes to enjoying a healthy life, but according to the latest study, sugar-free drinks can cause immense damage to the tooth enamel.

How these Drinks cause damage?

A variety of drinks were evaluated and it was found that drinks that contain acidic additives and with low pH levels can trigger immense damage to the enamel even though the drink is labelled sugar-free. Researchers stress that the chemicals and the acidic content in these drinks and foods can also cause dental erosion.

Dental Erosion

Gradually, the acid in the drink exposed to the teeth weakens and dissolves the hard tissue. This erosion takes away the surface layers of the enamel in the initial stages, and when it progresses, it exposes the soft pulp located inside the tooth.

It is said that timely treatment (initial stages) can easily be reversed with treatments that work by replacing the eroded minerals, but in advanced occasions, treatments like dental filling or crown are the only solutions.

Tooth Enamel Erosion as per intake

In all the sugar-free drinks evaluated, it was found that most of the soft drinks and sports caused softening of the enamel that clocked 50%. In addition, both drinks that contained sugar or without sugar (sugar-free), even the flavoured mineral waters caused measurable loss to the tooth enamel surface, and there was no significant difference in the extent of destruction.

Some studies also indicate that lemon and lime juice are also corrosive due to the acid content in it.

How to Protect Your Tooth Enamel?

Although brushing twice a day is one of the best ways to protect your tooth enamel and promote oral health, studies indicate that cutting down the number of sugar-free drinks, sports drinks among other drinks that contain acid can help prevent dental erosion.

Also, taking these drinks with meals after which a person brushes his or her teeth can help lessen the effect of the acidic content on your enamel and teeth.

Which Drinks are Better?

Some studies indicate that root beer and tap water have the least effect on your teeth. Other necessary drinks like milk also contain sugar that may affect your dental health, but they are necessary to give you stronger and healthier teeth. Brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste to prevent bacteria and acid build up is essential.

Individuals should also opt for drinks with lower amounts of acid to prevent dental erosion.