Diet soda can have a major impact on your teeth.
We all know pop is bad for us. It leads to weight gain and cavities if not used in moderation. But did you know diet pop is just as bad for your teeth? The reason, of course, is acid. The ph scale, which measures acid in foods, ranges from 1-14, with 7 being neutral. Water is a 7, battery acid is a 1. That pop you just drank? A 2-4 on the scale.
The acid eats away at the enamel on your teeth, causing them to soften and be more susceptible to decay. In fact, in a three-person case study published in the March/April 2013 issue of the journalGeneral Dentistry, Dr. Mohamed Bassiouny studied the teeth of a diet soda drinker and two drug addicts and found similar dental erosion among all three. The soda drinker drank 2 litres of pop every day for 5 years (yuck!! Imagine the lining of her stomach – or what is left of it!), and the two other people were meth and cocaine addicts. While this may sound extreme, we have seen several cases of full mouth decay as a result of excess pop and sugar intake. Obviously, juice and other sugary drinks are at fault as well, but as they have less acidity, they are somewhat less dangerous as long as proper maintenance is being followed.
So does this mean no more pop!!? In an ideal world, maybe. But here are some more realistic ideas about how you can lessen the blow caused by our sugary foe.
1. Drink less of it and more WATER!!
2. Drink it with a meal so you drink less – and by eating with it, it will not be staying directly on your teeth as much. A straw also helps keep it off the teeth a bit more.
3. Eat cheese (which is a base ph rather than an acid) afterwards, or chew sugarless gum (with xylitol is a bonus).
4. Brush your teeth – but NOT right afterwards. Your enamel is weakened from the acid, so you should wait about 20 minutes before brushing.
Enjoy your treat – and make sure it is a TREAT, not a daily habit. As with most things in life, moderation is the key!
