Soft drinks + healthy teeth? You can have both!
Soft drinks are very often related to teeth problems. But we’ll tell you a simple way to consume your favourite sugary drinks that won’t harm your teeth.
Believe it or not, we dentists love soft drinks as much as you do! We don’t like the idea of denying yourself of yummy things!
As with most foods, the key to consuming soft drinks and healthy teeth is moderation.
Yum in moderation
Besides the obvious health problems to over-consuming a sugary product, there’s a real practical implication for your teeth too.
Soft drinks can have a detrimental effect on your teeth. With its high sugar content, drinking soft drinks every day can wear away your enamel and leave your teeth susceptible to a whole array of teeth erosion and cavities.
Holes in teeth? No thanks! But the best of both worlds of health and soft drinks in moderation? Yes, please.
Here’s what the Victorian Government suggests on consuming soft drinks in moderation.
However, for the health of your teeth, there’s a little bit more to it than just drinking soft drinks moderation.
Timing is everything!
For the health of your teeth, it’s best to consume soft drinks with meals. To understand why we’ll explain what happens to your teeth when you eat and drink.
The foods that we eat and drink affect the PH level balance in our mouths. ALL flavoured drinks are actually acidic (including freshly squeezed juices and diet soft drinks).
When we eat food, the mouth produces more saliva to protect the teeth from any acids, start the digestion process and also help wash away food particles. This is an important part of our natural digestive process.
Furthermore, the extra saliva produced while you’re eating helps wash off the sugars that might otherwise stick to your teeth.
When you’re drinking a sugary soft drink with no food, you don’t have as much saliva in your mouth to protect your teeth.
Therefore you’re decreasing the natural protection available for your teeth. And with no saliva, there’s nothing washing your teeth clear of the soft drink. This means that the sugar and acid stick around your teeth for longer periods of time and have a more damaging effect.
The impact soft drinks have on your teeth is thereby significantly more when consumed without food.
When you are enjoying a soft drink, try to always consume it with food. They’re a great healthy teeth team!
For a full explanation on how to optimise your daily eating habits to improve your teeth health, visit our previous post “5 Meals a Day Keeps the Dentist Away”.
Case study: A dentist who loves Coca-Cola
I’m Dr Melissa Huang, one of the friendly dentists at Whitehorse Dental in Blackburn. And I’m a self-confessed fan of soft drinks, particularly Coca-Cola!
Patients are always very surprised when I tell them this!
To keep my love of Coca-Cola to a healthy moderation, I only drink it when I’m out at dinner with friends or family.
I find that it works for me if I keep soft drinks out of my house and out of easy reach. Otherwise, I’d be tempted to drink it every day.
Also, by only drinking soft drinks with food, I ensure that my teeth and enamel stay protected as best as possible. That also means that as soon as I finish my meal, even if there’s half a glass of coke still left…I don’t drink it. My friends always tease me that I never finish my soft drinks when we go out!
Big soft drink fan? That’s ok! But don’t delay getting your teeth checked at Whitehorse Dental in Blackburn. Check out our current promotion on your 1st visit comprehensive check up!
