This week, San Francisco is starting a soda ban and a soda tax is still pending in Michigan. Why all the fuss about soda? People of all ages drink soda, be it soft drinks mixed with spirits or any other way.
Most people know drinking a lot of soda can be harmful to their weight but not as many understand the negative consequences it has on teeth.
Take this into consideration…the pH of regular and diet pops ranges from 2.47-3.35. The pH in our mouth is normally about 6.2 to 7.0 – slightly more acidic than water. At a pH of 5.2 to 5.5 or below the acid begins to dissolve the hard enamel of our teeth. Phosphoric and citric acids contribute to the acidity of soda.
Here are a few quick reasons why soda is harmful to your physical and oral health:
- Soda has insignificant calories that from a health point of view are useless.
- Drinking too much soda can be harmful to the teeth (cause erosion of teeth) and cause cavities because soda has sugar and is acidic.
- Soda does not really quench your thirst; in fact the chemicals present in soda can result in lack of moisture in the body.
- Soda has caffeine so excessive intake could lead to craving for more.
- With caffeine in the body, chances of getting weak bones increases as caffeine sucks out the calcium from the bones.
- Too much soda can cause psychological disturbances like stress, sleep disorders and restlessness.
- Soda is made from sugar and corn syrup which if taken regularly could cause a person’s weight to increase; it also results in increased heart rate.
Here are some recommendations to reduce the affects of sugar and acid on your teeth:
- Soda should be consumed at meals to limit your teeth’s exposure to sugar and acid.
- Limit regular soda to 1 can per day.
- Neither regular nor diet soda should replace nutrient dense foods or beverages.
- Drink soda through straws to reduce the direct contact to the teeth.
- Rinse your mouth with water after consuming soda. It is important to do this prior to brushing your teeth after you just drank a soda. Rinsing first will help to neutralize the acids. Brushing in a high acid environment will erode tooth enamel.
- Select soda cans over re-sealable bottles. This limits the consumption of the soda to one sitting rather than sipping bottles and re-sealing them over a longer period of time.
