Wine, Fruit Juice, Soda — Which Drinks Can Harm Your Teeth?
Apart from the food you eat, drinks have a huge impact on human oral health. And most drinks exposes the dental health to various forms of hazard. As diet is concerned, there are two major threats to the health of the teeth which are sugar and acid. Sugar stimulates the spontaneous growth of bacteria in the mouth, which damages the enamel, while acid harms the enamel. Both of these threats are found in popular foods and drinks.
Top Beverages That Can Harm the Teeth
Fruit juice has a high level of sugar, and it can also be acidic – since most of these fruit juice is prepared with citrus fruits (which are acidic and high in sugar). Once sugar gets to the mouth, the action of bacteria will be very effective and rapid.
Another issue to consider is that the amount of sugar added to coffee or tea, it does more harm to the mouth than the tea or coffee itself. But coffee and tea are not acidic enough to cause the damage that people believe.
Coffee and tea stain the teeth, but to help prevent these stains, run a wet brush over your teeth or rinse your mouth with clean water after drinking any of these beverages. This procedure can help slow down the amount of stain over time.
Wine also contains some amount of acid, but the only excess drinking of wine will put the tooth enamel at risk.
Most people truly consider that drinking regular soda is also bad for the teeth’s health because of its high level of sugar content. But sodas, such as diet sodas and sports drinks, can also impose significant damage to the enamel because of the level of their acidity.
It’s Not Just about What You Drink but How You Drink It
Keeping the teeth healthy while drinking involves more than opting for the right choices of drink. Drinking slowly allows the liquid to have closer contact with the teeth. For example, sipping a sugary latte during hour-long travel exposes the teeth to greater damage or danger than drinking the beverage quickly.
Drinking beverages with a straw can also help reduce damage to the enamel. Straws are designed to allow substances that are harmful to the teeth pass through the mouth without getting in contact with the teeth.
Furthermore, chewing ice can also cause tiny cracks in the teeth, weaken them, and finally, cause the teeth to brake unexpectedly.
Drink Tips to Promote Healthy Teeth.
In cases of choosing drinks, take steps that will keep the teeth healthy and strong.
Start with the following procedures:
- Drink smoothies and fruit juices with straw and finish it just in one sitting to avoid sipping slowly; this is to avoid soaking the teeth with harmful, sugary or acidic substances.
- Add little or no sugar in the coffee you drink, especially if you want to drink it slowly.
- Drink diet sodas and sports drinks carefully, and avoid sipping them for a long period.
- Do not chew ice.
- When you are in doubt opt for water.
