7 drinks you must avoid for your teeth’s sake!

Do you also like soda pop or you are also someone who has too much coffee in a day? Well, if either is true, you need to immediately stop as they can adversely impact your dental health. Such drinks can cause cavities, gum disease, and even end up staining your teeth. So, you can always make a choice of switching to healthier alternatives, and find some substitutes that are not too bad for your dental health.

But before that, let us tell you about some drinks and beverages that are extremely bad for your teeth and why you should avoid them.

7 drinks you should avoid

1. Acidic and sugary drinks

For those caught unaware, enamel is the outer layer of the tooth and it is actually a protective coating to keep your teeth healthy. So, it is critical to preserve your tooth enamel. However, excessive sugar and acid consumption can dissolve your enamel, so it is best to avoid them.

“Many studies reveal that the drinks that are high in acid as well as sugar have the potential to damage the teeth. Acidic drinks soften tooth enamel which makes teeth sensitive and vulnerable to damage like cavities and dental erosion. The sugar in the drinks are metabolized by plaque microorganism to generate acids that cause damage to enamel,” Dr Anjani Kumar Pathak, Professor, Department of Periodontology, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, told Health Shots.

2. Diet soda

Diet sodas may contain zero sugar and fewer calories, but they are still acidic and have the possibility to erode your enamel. So do not just jump off to have that carbonated drink.

3. Fruit juices

Natural fruit juices can be a source of essential vitamins and nutrients to your body. However, the high levels of acid in them can be damaging to your dental health. So, you can avoid citrus-based juices like orange, grapefruit, lemon, and lime as they are most acidic.

4. Sports and energy drinks

Sports and energy drinks tend to have almost as much sugar as soda. “Carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks and fruit juices have low pH that may cause erosion of dentin and enamel, leading to permanent loss of tooth bulk and increase in sensitivity. Many drinks contain synthetic colors that can discolor teeth as well as tooth colored restorations,” Dr Pathak added.

Also, read: ​​This is what happens when you don’t brush your teeth at night

5. Tea or coffee

Having too much tea and coffee can weaken your enamel over time. But if you really need to have it, go for unsweetened, less acidic, and lighter versions. “Frequently drinking tea and coffee may stain your teeth. Moreover, tea, ice tea, and coffee also contain sugar,” Dr Pathak added.

6. Alcohol

Alcohol is to be consumed in moderation, for more reasons than one. It is detrimental to your entire body, including your mouth. Since they are often acidic and high in sugar, alcohol has the tendency to strip away your enamel and increases dental issues.

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7. Bottled water

Most bottled water has an acidic pH, which can attack the enamel of teeth.

How to protect your teeth

“To protect your teeth we should avoid sugary, pigmented and acidic drinks. Use straw to limit the contact of drinks to the teeth. Rinse your mouth after taking these beverages. Daily brushing, twice a day for at least two minutes each, can make your smile healthy and beautiful,” Dr Pathak suggested.

So, go have that happy smile to keep dental problems at bay!