Effects of Sugary Drinks on your dental Health

Effects of Sugary Drinks on your dental Health

Most people think of cavities or weight gain when it comes to drinking Sugary drinks like Coca Cola, Root Beer, Mountain Dew, but no one ever thinks of Dental Erosion – one of the negative Effects of Sugary Drinks on your dental Health

Coca Cola has so many uses, including removing rust from a Bike handle in the video. If Coca Cola can remove rust from metal, imagine how much enamel it can take off of your teeth.  In the video below, he left the rusted bike handle inside the Coca Cola for a couple days. But, just imagine years of coca cola hitting your teeth, and doing this to your teeth.

Your enamel is the hardest structure in your body, and it’s even stronger than your bones, but slowly by slowly, it can easily remove your enamel and any tooth structure below it.

Dental Tooth Erosion VS Tooth Decay (AKA cavities)

Tooth erosion is the wearing away of your tooth structure by an acidic substances:

Ex.

• Sodas and Diet Sodas- Coca Cola, Root Beer
• Juices – Orange Juice, Lime Juice, pineapple juice
• Energy drinks – rockstar, red bull, etc
• Your own stomach Acid –  Acid Reflux aka Gerd,
• gum with sugar

Tooth Decay is when plaque bacteria eats sugar, and then metabolizes acid onto your tooth structure.

Causes include:

•  Carbohydrates – sugar from Sodas, Juices, Pasta
• Any sticky Carbohydrates containing sugar

How Do Dental Cavities Start in my Mouth?

When the bacteria eat Carbohydrates (from sodas, juice, pasta, etc ) in your mouth, they produce a by-product which is acid.  It is the acid that is responsible for breaking down your tooth structure and causing cavities

Why Does the Acid produced from the bacteria’s By product

make me more susceptible to Cavities?

It’s because it changes the PH of your mouth into a more acidic environment compared to what your teeth can survive in.

A normal PH of your mouth is 7.0

But,

When your mouth reaches a PH of 4.5-5.5 , then your enamel is at risk of breaking down and turning into a cavity

When your mouth reaches a PH of 6.0 – 6.7 , then your dentin is at risk of breaking down and turning into a cavity

Acid Producing Bacterias include:

• Streptococcus Mutans is the main bacteria responsible for initially causing your cavities.

• Lactobacilli – This is the bacteria that shows up after the cavity has started the breakdown of your teeth

• Actinomyces – This bacteria attacks the root surfaces of your teeth in order to produce cavities.

 

How To Prevent Cavities and Tooth Erosion Caused by Sugar

The best solution is to stop drinking sodas, fruit juices, and having any carbohydrates, but that’s not going to happen. The truth is that people love this stuff, but knowing the risks will help.

• Try to cut out the Sugary Drinks from your normal day.
• Remember that there is a direct causation of Frequency of Carbohydrate intake and Cavities, so ….try to limit the number of time you take in sugar
• Don’t add sugar to coffee, or use artificial sweetener.
  • Bacteria is unable to breakdown artificial sweeteners ( For example – xylitol gum or xylitol sugar).
• Drink Water after eating sticky foods. Water helps flush the bacteria away
• chew sugar-free gum. This helps stimulate saliva, which helps protect your teeth from Cavities.
• Wait 30 – 60 minutes to brush your teeth after having Carbs. This will allow your teeth to remineralize after the demineralization process from ingesting Carbs.
• Don’t eat or drink anything with Carbohydrates before bed because your mouth tends to dry out during the night, which makes you more susceptible to cavities.
• Go to the Dentist regularly, and get examined at least 1x per year. Catching a cavity early can save you a big headache with bills and time.
• Use a Fluoride Toothpaste – Fluoride can help strengthen your enamel making your teeth stronger when it has to deal with cavity-causing bacterias.
• Ask your DDS and Dental hygienist is getting Fluoride Varnish is right for you. Concentrated amounts of Fluoride Varnish can help protect your enamel and roots of your teeth from cavities.
• Eat a well-balanced diet. Add more vegetables to your diet.
• Drink more water
• Brush 2 times per day and Floss at least 1 time per day.

 

“How to Tell If You Have Cavities”by mortonweatherly is licensed under CC BY 2.0

 

What are the Effects of Sugary Drinks on your Dental Health?

If Coca Cola can remove rust from metal, imagine how much enamel it can take off of your teeth. In the video below, he left the rusted bike handle inside the Coca Cola for a couple days. But, just imagine years of coca cola hitting your teeth, and doing this to your teeth. Your enamel is the hardest structure in your body, and it's even stronger than your bones, but slowly by slowly, it can easily remove your enamel and any tooth structure below it.

What is the hardest structure in your body?

Your enamel is the hardest structure in your body, and it's even stronger than your bones, but slowly by slowly, it can easily remove your enamel and any tooth structure below it.

What is Tooth Erosion?

Tooth erosion is the wearing away of your tooth structure by acidic substances such as sodas, juices, and energy drinks.

What is the tooth Decay process?

Tooth Decay is when plaque bacteria eats sugar, and then metabolizes acid onto your tooth structure.

What causes tooth decay?

Tooth Decay is when plaque bacteria eats sugar, and then metabolizes acid onto your tooth structure. Causes include: Carbohydrates such as sugar from Sodas, Juices, Pasta Any sticky Carbohydrates containing sugar

How Do Dental Cavities Start in my Mouth?

When the bacteria eat Carbohydrates (from sodas, juice, pasta, etc ) in your mouth, they produce a by-product which is acid. It is the acid that is responsible for breaking down your tooth structure and causing cavities.

Why Does the Acid produced from the bacteria's By product make me more susceptible to Cavities?

It's because it changes the PH of your mouth into a more acidic environment compared to what your teeth can survive in. A normal PH of your mouth is 7.0 But, When your mouth reaches a PH of 4.5-5.5 , then your enamel is at risk of breaking down and turning into a cavity When your mouth reaches a PH of 6.0 to 6.7 , then your dentin is at risk of breaking down and turning into a cavity.

What are the Cavity Causing Bacterias called?

Streptococcus Mutans is the main bacteria responsible for initially causing your cavities. Lactobacilli - This is the bacteria that shows up after the cavity has started the breakdown of your teeth Actinomyces - This bacteria attacks the root surfaces of your teeth in order to produce cavities.

How can I Prevent Cavities and Tooth Erosion Caused by Sugar?

The best solution is to stop drinking sodas, fruit juices, and having any carbohydrates, but that's not going to happen. The truth is that people love this stuff, but knowing the risks will help. Try to cut out the Sugary Drinks from your normal day. Remember that there is a direct causation of Frequency of Carbohydrate intake and Cavities, so ....try to limit the number of time you take in sugar Don't add sugar to coffee, or use artificial sweetener. Bacteria is unable to breakdown artificial sweeteners ( For example - xylitol gum or xylitol sugar). Drink Water after eating sticky foods. Water helps flush the bacteria away chew sugar-free gum. This helps stimulate saliva, which helps protect your teeth from Cavities.

What is Streptococcus Mutans?

Streptococcus Mutans is the main bacteria responsible for initially causing your cavities.

What is Lactobacilli?

This is the bacteria that shows up after the cavity has started the breakdown of your teeth

What is Actinomyces ?

Actinomyces is This bacteria attacks the root surfaces of your teeth in order to produce cavities.