We all know that sugary foods like a soda can cause cavities, but, how?
Here’s how:
- We all have a lot of natural bacteria in our mouths and certain kinds of these bacteria use sugar to cause cavities.
- The bacteria convert the sugar into acid, which breaks down (demineralizes) our teeth and causes cavities.
- So, is diet soda better since it doesn’t contain sugar?
NO!
Diet soda has a lot of acids, which has the same effect on our teeth as regular soda. What if I only have one can of soda per day? The amount of TIME the soda is in our mouths is equally as important as the amount of soda we drink. So, if you drink one can of soda per day, but, sip on it for hours, you are constantly bathing your teeth in sugar. It takes about 20 minutes for our saliva to neutralize the soda or acid, so, if you take a sip every 20 minutes, you are continuously creating an environment for cavities to occur. Any sugary liquid will have consequences, including juices, coffee, iced tea, lemonade, and energy drinks. The same is true for sugary foods.
My advice: if you are going to drink a sugary beverage, only drink it with meals. Then rinse your mouth with plain water afterward. ONLY sip on PLAIN water. And always, always brush and floss before going to sleep.