Everybody knows that drinking soda is unhealthy for your teeth and gums. All of the sugar in sodas create a feeding frenzy for your oral bacteria, fostering cavities and gingivitis. Knowing this, there are many people who try to dodge this bullet by opting for only sugar-free sodas. But is this really the fix that they think it is? The answer may surprise you.
The unfortunate truth is that sugar-free sodas have just as much potential to rot your teeth that conventional sodas do. After all, it’s not only the sugar in a soda that is breaking down your enamel. Carbonated drinks are always highly acidic, and this acid serves to weaken your tooth enamel in exactly the same way the acid produced by your oral bacteria does. In many drinks, the acid is responsible for more damage than the sugar is. So, if you drink sugar-free sodas, you should be taking as much care as you would with normal sodas; try following your soda with a drink of water or something calcium-rich, like milk, to neutralize the acid. You can also avoid or decrease the consumption of sodas and other sweet drinks.
Talk to our Bellingham dentist to learn more about how to keep your teeth healthy.