Sugary Drinks, Obesity, and Dental ErosionDec 03 2019

Coke or Pepsi? Who can’t turn down a good soda, or even juice? Most people love to drink beverages, like Coke or sometimes even orange juice, on a daily basis. A [poll] was taken and it revealed that about 48% of Americans drink soda every single day. Among that near half of the population, drink an average of 2.6 glasses per day. While having the sweet stuff occasionally and in moderation is fine, like most foods, having it too much can lead to some adverse health affects.

One risk is becoming obese. Now while there is many bad things about obesity, there is one particular concern I want to talk about, and that is dental erosion. Scary word, right? Think of it just like a mountain eroding, or wearing away. The same thing is happening with your teeth. Your teeth react to sugar, converting it to acid, which is what the bacteria in your mouth LOVE. That is why when you go to the dentist, you may have a cavity (or more that one!). Acid causes tooth decay (think dental erosion) and slowly dissolves a tooth’s enamel, creating holes or cavities.

What do all of these things have in common? The results from a [study] stated that, “ Overweight and obese adults had more surfaces with moderate-to-severe tooth wear than those with normal body size..”. Sugary drinks were found to be part of the problem, because they are highly acidic. So what? To be healthier, try to drink carbonated, sugar, acidic drinks less often, to protect your overall health and oral health specifically. To make an appointment follow the link on our website's homepage.