To enable Verizon Media and our partners to process your personal data select 'I agree', or select 'Manage settings' for more information and to manage your choices. The additives and preservatives that are often found in carbonated beverages can also play a role with removing enamel from a person’s teeth. The point is that diet soda might not be the best thing to drink. Drinking one diet soda will not destroy a person’s teeth. Should I Be Worried? Since diet sodas have artificial sweeteners how do they play a role in tooth decay? Information about your device and internet connection, including your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps. As a matter of fact, diet soda is commonly consumed by individuals who love the taste of pop but do not want the extra sugar. Indeed, scientists have proven that sweet fizzy drinks are extremely dangerous. According to the National Institutes of Health, 21 percent of youngsters between the ages of 6 and 11 have had cavities in their permanent teeth. How does diet soda effect a person’s teeth? A Threat From the Zinc in Denture Adhesive? This helps wash out the corrosive sugar and carbonation instead of spreading to more areas of your oral cavity. After a good soak, they examined all the teeth, checking for changes in calcium levels, weight, and surface damage. These "attacks" last around 20 minutes which restarts after each sip. Diet drinks are enticing because they offer refreshing taste and flavor without the negative things regular drinks do. I know that your teeth probably isn’t one of the first things you think about when you buy a can of cold soda. Brushing sooner could remove the softened layer of enamel. Carbonation is extremely strong in terms of removing enamel from the teeth and sugar also has the same effect. The biggest offenders appear to be phosphoric acid — a soda staple regardless of sugar content — and citric/citrate acid (I see you, Sprite). If you eat sugar-free candies, avoid fruit flavors, particularly lemon. A person can brush their teeth after drinking a pop and still have to deal with the effects that are contained within soda. Porcelain Veneers Vs. You Could be Damaging Your Teeth. "When they take out the sugar, there's some tartness that is lost, so they add phosphoric acid." "Diet soda has even more acid than regular soda," he said. ©Copyright 2020 Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC. All of these things demineralize teeth and eventually cause a hole. Dentists often warn their patients about the consequences of drinking sugary sodas. At least according to what research has to say. Now, if only H2O made for a better mixer. Eric Reynolds et al, “The potential of sugar-free beverages, sugar-free confectionary and sports drink to cause dental erosion.” Briefing paper, Oral Health CRC, University of Melbourne, http://www.oralhealthcrc.org.au/sites/default/files/Dental%20Erosion%20Briefing%20Paper_FINAL2015.pdf accessed November 30, 2015. Thanksgiving Insta Captions That Aren’t #Thankful, Let’s Rewatch Our Fave Thanksgiving TV Episodes, This Is the Ultimate Thanksgiving Day Playlist, 15 Ways to Celebrate Thanksgiving Online, ICYWW, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. Researchers found that all of the beverages, including regular and diet Coca Cola, caused tooth erosion, whether or not they were sugar-free. If you asked your dentist for their thoughts on soda, they'd recommend avoiding it. Whether the drinks contained sugar or were sugar-free made no difference. As such, it still can destroy a person’s teeth. Dentistry for Senior Citizens: What are Your Options? According to some experiemental studies, diet soda can be erosive to teeth, but seems to be less erosive than regular soda. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls. Surprisingly, there was no significant difference between damage caused by sugary and sugar-free drinks. And if so, how does soda affect your teeth? While diet sodas don't have sugar, they contain other elements found in regular soda that are bad for your teeth, particularly acids. It’s Been a Long Time Since I’ve Been to the Dentist, What Should I Do? Diet soda is favorite drink for many people. Quiz: Is Sedation Dentistry Right for You? . But experts think they know what's up: Unlike sugar-sweetened sodas, which promote the growth of bacteria that lead to tooth decay and cavities, sugar-free sodas contain ingredients that cause dental erosion, a process that strips away tooth enamel, ultimately exposing the soft and suuuuuper sensitive insides of the tooth. An Australian study at the University of Melbourne tested 15 soft drinks to study their effects on healthy molars. But, this does not mean that consuming one will make person’s teeth automatically fall out of their mouth. Erosion can show up on tooth surfaces as chalkiness, pitting, or opacity and can also cause sensitivity. All rights reserved. 5 Supplements That Support Healthy Vision. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact our dental team today for a personal consultation. Phosophoric acid may add tang to your favorite soft drink, but it can also dissolve the calcium found in the enamel of your teeth. If you do, have you ever wondered, is diet soda bad for your teeth? Your teeth aren’t the only worry if you drink sugar-free beverages. How Long Does it Take to Get Dental Implants? Mint or menthol flavors are safest for the teeth. In this answer, "diet soda" refers to any sugar-free version of the drinks known as soda. If you do consume soft drinks , try to drink alongside a cup of water. The fact is that pop is primarily made out of carbonated water and sugar. Plus, make sure to maintain a healthy oral hygiene routine. 5 Signs It’s Time to Get Your Family to the Dentist, Why You Need a Dentist Who Gives Back to the Community. When they compared soft drinks to sports drinks, they found that the soft drink effects were worse, although of the 8 sports drink brands tested, all but two significantly damaged enamel. We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through the use of cookies and similar technologies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. www.drweil.com. In summary, diet soda is bad for your teeth. The problems with soda are twofold: first, the sugar content is bad for your teeth (but that fact is pretty obvious). That's why you don't want to brush immediately after you consume acid, or approximately 30 minutes after you consume carbohydrates and the bacteria begin secreting acid. So, diet soda isn’t a good alternative to regular soda, because it’s still extremely acidic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20% of the U.S. population gulps down diet drinks daily. Adults are in even worse shape – 92 percent between ages 20 and 64 have had cavities and surprisingly, decay is more prevalent among white adults, those living in large families and those with higher incomes and more education. As a matter of fact, when a person brushes their teeth after drinking a soda; they will spread the carbonation and sugar throughout their mouth. The additives and preservatives that are often found in carbonated beverages can also play a role with removing enamel from a person’s teeth. Why Do I Need a Root Canal If the Tooth Doesn’t Hurt? The combination of sugar (or its substitutes) and carbon dioxide negatively affects tooth … Are You Eating These Foods? Limiting how much sugar you consume every day can reduce your waistline, but it doesn't necessarily mean a healthier mouth and body. Diet soda may be bad for your teeth, but there are several ways you can protect your oral health while still enjoying the occasional sugar-free drink: Know When to Brush and Floss: Wait 30-60 minutes after drinking regular or diet soda to brush and floss your teeth to avoid causing more harm because the drinks soften your enamel. Am I a Good Candidate for Conscious Sedation Dentistry? Why? The second bad part is the acidity, which is quite high in soda pop. My Gums Bleed When I Brush My Teeth. School’s Out: Greenville Family Events to Attend. Most carbonated soft drinks , including diet soda , are acidic and therefore, bad for your teeth. The idea that drinking diet soda might be bad for your teeth is not new, however, as evidenced by a 2011 Huffington Post blog written by New York City cosmetic dentist Dr. Thomas P. Connelly: The problems with soda are twofold: first, the sugar content is bad for your teeth (but that fact is pretty obvious). Turns out, citrus-flavored sodas like Mountain Dew can have more teeth-rotting power than most colas. Grinding manifests in a different way, but all of these problems are related. Did You Know Thanksgiving Feasts Can Be Good for Your Teeth? Diet and sugar-free sodas contain their own acids, though, which causes similar damage to your oral health. Diet soda consumption is linked to abdominal obesity in adults over 65, which increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. Quiz - New Year's Party Treats: Which Should You Eat? A study in Michigan compared the effects of regular soda and diet soda on the tooth surface and found that both drinks had almost equal results in causing tooth erosion over time. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment.