Soda drinks are one the highest types of drinks consumed by most age groups across the globe.
Hugely popular among children, youth and athletes for a quick energy boost, thirst quencher and helpful aid to cool down, it doesn’t take long for this drink to become addictive.
Some may start off with just one can a day and before long find themselves drinking 1-2 liters a day.
Whether you call these drinks, soda pop, diet soda, pop fizz, sports drink or energy drink they are all the same thing.
They are all full of sugar and acidic ingredients that have been proven to rot the teeth quickly, in-fact researchers can now confirm these soda drinks rot teeth the same way street drugs do – eg: crack, meth etc.
In one study done at the General Dentistry, Mohamed A. Bassiouny, DMD, MSc, PhD, lead author of the study revealed, “Each person experienced severe tooth erosion caused by the high acid levels present in their ‘drug’ of choice — meth, crack, or soda.”
This study was based on three participants, a methamphetamine user, a previous long-term user of cocaine and an excessive diet soda drinker (has been drinking 2 liters of diet soda for 3-5 years).
All participants did not keep up regular hygiene on their teeth or visit a dentist on a regular basis. Researchers found the same type and severity of damage from tooth erosion in each participant’s mouth.
Another interesting point made by Dr Bassiouny is the citric acid found in various soda drinks, is similar to many corrosive ingredients such as, battery acid, lantern fuel, and drain cleaner used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
In the video clip below – Dental expert Dr Diane Buyer from the Indiana Dental Association also reveals and demonstrates what the acid in soda drinks do to your teeth.
Are You Drinking Your Teeth Away?
By: Wish TV
The strong message in this video above is…
The acid found in Soda drinks literally softens and weakens the tooth enamel to enhance the rotting process.
When dental experts soaked hard boiled eggs in glasses of various soda drinks and one hard boiled egg in a glass of milk then left them over night, the results from the soda drinks were shocking.
- The eggs soaked in the soda drinks clearly showed the top layers of the egg having been eaten away over night.
- The egg soaked in milk looked normal and had no signs of any deterioration. In-fact it hardened the outer layer of the egg.
In the second part of this experiment more results were found:
- One egg (not hard boiled) and left with it’s shell on was soaked in soda drink over night. By the morning this egg had NO shell left on it and had a jelly type consistency.
- One egg had a coating of fluoride on one half, and was soaked in a glass of water over night. Many dentists promote fluoride as being a necessity in helping the teeth to become harder and more resistant to tooth decay.By the morning the half with the fluoride on was harder than the side without fluoride.
Tips to Lessen the Onset of Rotting Teeth from Soda Drinks
- Drink it cold instead of warm. Soda drinks that are at room temperature create more acid to attack the teeth.
- Drink your energy drink before you do any sports rather than after the exercise when you are dehydrated. When you drink energy drinks while dehydrated, there is little to no saliva in your mouth which results in the acid going directly onto the enamel.
- Don’t wash your teeth straight after drinking soda drink. As the acid in these drinks softens the enamel, washing your teeth straight after will cause more enamel to be lost. You will be literally brushing the enamel away.
- Always drink it with food and preferably a straw.
- Drink it all at once. NEVER sip the drink over a period of time. It takes a few hours for the teeth to begin the re-hardening process after soda drink consumption.
Last but not least – Always consume in moderation.
Article written by Wen Dee
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