Aside from the foods you eat, the beverages your drink could also negatively affect your dental health. When drinking a liquid, you basically bathe your teeth in that drink, and plenty of drinks could harm your dental health similar to how sweets could.
Generally speaking, the primary dangers associated with tooth damage are acid, which breaks down enamel, and sugar, which fosters bacteria growth and erodes the enamel. These are both found in various drinks and foods.
Popular Drinks That Could Damage Your Teeth
Regular and sweetened fruit juice contains very high sugar content and can be very acidic. This also includes some smoothies because plenty of smoothies have citrus fruits that are acidic and have high sugar content.
You should also be wary of the sugar you put into your tea or coffee and the fact that these drinks can easily stain your teeth. You should be aware that wine is also acidic, but won’t really endanger your teeth if you don’t drink excessively. It can, however, stain your teeth like tea and coffee.
You’re probably aware that regular sodas can harm your teeth due to their very high sugar content. However, even diet sodas, along with sports drinks, could likewise damage your enamel because of their acidic nature.
It’s common for these drinks to contain high amounts of citric acid and phosphoric acid for enhancing their flavor and making them tangy. What’s more alarming, sodas contain a certain acid used by dentists to give some texture to the enamel prior to using it for bonding treatment.
How You Drink Beverages Also Matters
When you drink the beverages mentioned above leisurely, you’re essentially enabling your teeth to have prolonged contact with the beverage. For instance, if you drink your soda or a caramel latte throughout the day, the damage you’re subjecting your teeth could be much greater than if you’d finished your drink faster.
Drinking a beverage using a straw could help decrease damage to your enamel because it allows the harmful substances to circumvent your teeth. But it’s also better to limit or avoid drinking these harmful beverages altogether. It’s also best that you go to a dental clinic in Oviedo, FL, for regular checkups to ensure that your teeth are as healthy as can be.
If You Must Drink Harmful Beverages, Try These Tips
Most people will still drink these beverages even if they know how harmful they can be. That being said, to avoid damage to your teeth, you can follow some strategies to minimize the potential damage. Opt for little to no sugar when drinking tea or coffee.
If you want to drink sodas, sports drinks, and fruit juices, always use a straw and drink them as fast as possible. If your drink has ice, refrain from chewing it or risk chipping your tooth, or worse dislodging it.
Always rinse your mouth using plain water or brush your teeth after drinking acidic and sugary beverages. And try to stick to drinking water whenever possible. Being mindful of your drink choices and how you drink them will go a long way towards protecting your oral health.
