favorite-drinks-affect-teeth

You may have read somewhere that lemon water can help with digestion or that drinking that energy drink will help you get through the day. But did you consider how these drinks affect your teeth?  Let us start with the basics to understand how our liquid refreshments impact our teeth.

• Liquids with a pH lower than 7 are acidic
• Liquids with a pH higher than 7 are basic
• Liquids with a pH of exactly 7 are considered neutral
• Tooth structure begins demineralization when the pH balance of the mouth reaches 5.5 or lower

Many common drinks are acidic enough (lower than 5.5 pH) to erode tooth enamel. The chart below depicts the acidity of many household beverages:

What You Do?

Although these beverages are acidic, there are ways to combat teeth erosion. Follow these tips to improve your drinking habits:

• Drink the acidic drink for shorter periods of time – for example, drink your soda at one sitting versus drinking it slowly throughout the day
• Drink water with the acidic beverage, to dilute the acidity. Preferably dilute with tap water because of its high fluoride content (which is good for your teeth!)
• Use a mouthwash such as ACT or Biotene to bring up the pH in your mouth. (Be careful! Listerine is actually acidic as well)
• Consider drinking less acidic alternatives

Come Visit The Goldstein Dental Center

If you have noticed any wear on your teeth from acidic beverages, we have plenty of great options to help restore your teeth.  Signs of teeth wear are discoloration or pitting of the teeth.  Please call today if you notice either of these qualities in your teeth!

Examples of teeth eroded from acidic liquids.