How Soda Damages Your Teeth

Do you drink a lot of soda? If so, you may want to rethink that decision for many different reasons! Above all, you should consider the damages soda can do to your teeth! Continue reading to learn about these damages and how to prevent them.

Enamel hardens the outside of your teeth, protecting the dentin and pulp of the tooth from damage. Like any surface, enamel can wear down over time. Saliva performs essential functions in keeping tooth enamel strong. Calcium and phosphate particles in saliva help strengthen tooth enamel, according to Mayo Clinic. Saliva also washes away the acidic plaque that forms on tooth enamel and eats away at it. Soda contains acids such as phosphate and citric acid that weaken the tooth enamel.

When the enamel weakens, bacterial plaque that forms on the teeth can reach the inner layers more easily, causing cavities. Sodas with high sugar content pack a one-two punch; first they weaken the enamel and then the high sugar content in the soda can easily penetrate into the tooth. Diet sodas weaken tooth enamel, allowing bacteria from other foods to easily damage the tooth. Teeth look different when the enamel is damaged. They no longer look as white; they might appear translucent around the edges or more yellow, because more dentin shows through the thinning enamel. The chewing surface of the tooth can appear dented, rounded or uneven. Because you have less enamel protecting the tooth beneath, you might feel more pain, tingling or discomfort when chewing or drinking hot or cold liquids.

If you indulge in a glass of soda occasionally, take steps to minimize any damage. Drink through a straw; this deposits the soda farther back in your mouth, away from your teeth. Don’t sip at a soda over an hour; drink it fairly quickly; constant sipping keeps your mouth bathed in acids longer. Rinse your mouth out with water when you finish to remove the soda residue. Chew sugarless gum when you finish to increase saliva output and to raise the pH in your mouth. Don’t brush your teeth for at least 30 minutes after drinking soda; the acid weakens the enamel and brushing too soon can cause further damage.