If you’ve ever been a regular canned soda drinker, chances are your dentist has told you to stop consuming them or to at least limit your intake. Some statistics show at least 50% of people are daily consumers of soda. This type of behaviour is not only associated with higher rates of health issues such as diabetes and obesity, but it can wreak havoc on your teeth. In this blog, I will discuss the dangers of consuming soda on your teeth. 

What does canned soda do to your teeth?

There are more soda brands now than ever flooding the marketplace. Although they can be tasty, they pose a danger to the overall health of your teeth and body. When you drink a regular soda, the sugars it contains interact with bacteria in your mouth to form acid. This acid attacks your teeth, destroying tooth enamel. Both regular and sugar-free sodas also contain their own acids, and these attack teeth too. This wears on your teeth, exposing them more to bacteria and raising the risk of forming cavities. It’s like taking the protective barrier off your teeth and then exposing them to the most dangerous elements possible. 

What can you do to prevent canned soda-related teeth issues?

With each sip of soda you take, you’re creating a damaging reaction that lasts for about 20 minutes. If you drink more than one can a day, you are constantly putting your teeth under attack. The best way to prevent soda-related teeth issues is to stop drinking them altogether, or at least switch to diet soda as a starting point. If you must keep drinking them, here are a few suggestions you should do to limit your chances of having tooth damage:

• Limit your intake as much as you can. Don’t have more than one soft drink each day
• Use a straw to sip the soda and minimize contact with your teeth. This will help keep away the damaging acids and/or sugars from your teeth.
• Drink quickly. The faster you drink, the less time the sugars and acids have to damage your teeth. 
• Rinse your mouth out with water following consumption of soda. This will help flush out any remaining sugars or acids from your mouth, thus lowering the chances of them damaging your teeth.
• Do not brush your teeth right away after you drink soda. The friction from brushing against your recently exposed teeth can actually cause more harm than good. Wait 30-60 minutes before brushing and just stick to rinsing your mouth out with water instead.
• Try not to drink any soda before bed. Drinking a soda right before going to bed leaves your teeth in a damaged state all night, allowing the acid, sugar and bacteria to wreak havoc on them even longer. If you must, try to consume soda during the day when you have time to flush your mouth and then brush at a later time. 

The bottom line 

If you are a regular soda drinker, try to limit your intake as much as possible. There are alternatives out there. Consider getting a soda stream, try drinking more water throughout the day or if you must, try to only consume lower-acidic kinds of sodas. Believe it or not, Sprite, Diet Coke, and Diet Dr. Pepper are some of the least acidic soft drinks on the market-although they are still quite acidic. Just be aware of the dangers of consuming these types of drinks on the regular. Brush and floss your teeth daily and visit your local dentist such as Dr. Salyani at Collingwood Dentistry for regular checkups. Remember, oral health and overall health go hand in hand.