How Sugary Drinks Affect And Damage Your Teeth

It is usually said we are what we eat, and how true that is. Your body is truly a reflection of what you put inside it. Read below to get an example. We all know by now how bad sugar is for our overall health and one of the reasons is it causes tooth decay. According to a recent study by World Health Organization, nearly 100 percent of adults are affected by cavities reason being sugar acids.

Tooth decay

Your teeth are at risk from sugary acids every time you have a meal, because of the sugar content in the food and drinks that you consume. The bacteria and plaque in your teeth transform the sugar found in your sweetened drinks and food into sugar acids that attack your tooth enamel. Tooth enamel is the outermost layer of the tooth. The enamel is the hardest substance found in a human body, it cannot be regenerated. Now imagine how harsh the acids are to destroy the hardest material in your body. The acid attacks the outer layer starts thinning, which is known as tooth erosion. The eroded tooth becomes sensitive and painful. This sensitive tooth is affected by cold and hot food and the person feels pain in the eroded areas. Prevention of tooth erosion is very important for long-term health of your tooth. Acids from sodas, juices, and sweetened beverages like ice teas come in direct contact to your teeth as soon as you take a sip. The attack starts almost immediately.

Rethink and prevent

1. Always remember the damage to your natural tooth is irreversible. Treat your body in a holistic and preventive manner.
2. Try cutting out or minimising soda, soft drinks, sweetened beverages.
3. Do not sip sugary beverages slowly or over a long period of time. Doing so it exposes your teeth to sweetened drink for a longer time thus causing a long acid attack.
4. Always use a straw to consume these beverages thus it will cause less exposure of sugar and acid in the drink.
5. Protect your teeth by using fluoridated toothpaste to brush your teeth or fluoride gels that should be rinsed off to apply on the weak necks of your teeth.
6. Never consume a sugary drink right before you go off to bed. The acid from the drink will pool into your mouth causing damage to natural enamel all night long.
7. Drink plenty of water as it helps to hydrate and also stimulates the secretion of saliva in the mouth keeping cavities at bay.

If you have a sweet tooth, rethink!