Did you know that drinks like regular & diet soda, canned iced tea & lemonades, and sports drinks can lead to tooth decay and enamel destruction? The low pH or acidity of these drinks really harm your pearly whites!
Even though tooth enamel is the hardest substance in our body, it is still susceptible to breakdown from acids found in many foods and drinks. The more acidic the drink is (the lower the pH), the more rapid the enamel destruction. Tooth enamel dissolves at a pH below 5.5. Normal pH is 7.
Here are the acidity levels of some popular drinks:
water = 7.0 (neutral pH)
brewed black coffee = 6.25
brewed black tea = 5.36
A&W Root Beer = 4.8
Diet Sprite = 3.34
Sprite = 3.27
Diet Coke = 3.22
Mountain Dew = 3.14
Gatorade = 2.95
Ginger Ale = 2.94
Diet Pepsi = 2.94
HI Punch = 2.82
Coke = 2.48
Pepsi = 2.46
Not to mention that an intake of excess calories from soda seems to be contributing to an increase in diabetes and obestiy that is occuing today in children, teenagers & adults!
The best things to drink are milk (pH of approx 6.8) and water! Making sensible choices is an important part of maintaining your oral health, especially while you have your braces on. At Strathcona Orthodontics we know it would be hard to impossible to cut out all of the 'fun beverages' but being aware of the ultimate cost to your teeth and overall health can help you to make informed decisions.
