Everything that passes our lips, has impacts on our dental health, whether it’s food or beverages. Some of the drinks we drink can not only stain your teeth but if they cause increase of acidity in your mouth, they can also weaken the tooth enamel. And a week enamel means that your teeth will be more prone to cavities and other dental problems.
Many of us want to live a healthier life. If you’re one of them, see what type of drinks you normally drink could hurt your teeth.
Soda
We’ve all heard the stories that soda is bad for our weight. Other than that, sodas can also be (well actually are) bad for your teeth. Soda drinks contain two of the worst substances for your teeth: acid and sugar.
Some soda drinks actually contain a lot more sugar than what’s your daily sugar intake or they contain citric or phosphoric acid to enhance the taste. Both of these can weaken your tooth enamel that protects the inner layer of your teeth.
Fruit Juices
Are you one of those that think that fruit juices are a healthier alternative to sodas? Well, you’re not alone. However, you have to keep in mind that sometimes fruit juices actually contain as much sugar as soda drinks.
Furthermore, the majority of the fruit drinks are concentrated, which means that you’re consuming a lot more acid than if you eat for example a fresh piece of fruit.
Giving up fruity drinks can be a challenge. So if you don’t want to give them up you can then choose the ones with low sugar. And to further minimize the damage the sugar and acid does, try mixing half a glass of fruit juice with half a glass of water.
Vegetable juices
Vegetable juices are a good alternative to fruit juices and sodas since they are not so rich in sugar or acids. But, whether you’re making your own fresh vegetable juices OR you’re buying it, make sure to limit the number of fruits in the vegetable juice.
Yes, even though you’re making (or buying) vegetable juice, it still need to contain some fruit for better flavor. So it’s important that there’s not too much fruit, or your intake of sugar and acid will be higher.
When it comes to vegetable juice, dark and leafy greens are the best because they contain high amount of calcium which is great for strengthening your teeth. Furthermore, they also contain high amounts of Vitamin B which is good against gum disease. But since not many people would like the taste of kale juice, you can add some carrots or apples (only in moderation) to improve the taste.
Wine
Doctors recommend one glass of wine per day and say that it’s beneficial for your health. And a lot of people have a glass of wine with their meal, which is OK. But, if you want to enjoy a glass of wine, make sure that you pick red wine instead of white wine. White wine is actually a bit more acidic than red wine so it can damage your tooth enamel.
On the other hand, red wine is well known for staining your teeth. But you can minimize the staining effect by rinsing your teeth with water, once you finish with your glass of wine.
Tea
Many of us enjoy the soothing effect of some types of tea and some types of tea can actually have positive effects on your teeth. For example, research suggests that green tea is actually good for decay prevention and gum health.
When it comes to teas, we highly recommend that you stick with brewed tea. Their pH is 5.5 or more which means they aren’t so acidic and don’t cause enamel damage. On the other hand, iced teas have a quite low pH 2.5-3.5 which means they are highly acidic and can cause enamel decay.
Water
Water is probably the best beverage out there. Not only does a glass of water have multiple health benefits, but it is also sugar-free and acid-free which means that it won’t hurt your tooth enamel.
In addition for NOT being harmful for your teeth, water is also an excellent choice if you want to rinse them and restore the natural pH balance in your mouth.
And of course being hydrated enough is crucial for your overall health and also for your dental health.
These are one of the most common beverage habits people have and how they can influence your dental health. Another thing that you can do to maintain good dental health is to have regular checkups and cleaning. Contact our office today and schedule an appointment.
