Sugary Beverages Can Harm Your Smile

When it comes to your smile, what you choose to drink matters. While soft drinks are incredibly popular in America to accompany most meals, they are horrible for your teeth. Not only do soft drinks contain phosphoric acid, which can lead to tooth enamel erosion, but soft drinks also contain high quantities of sugar.

Sugar is your teeth’s worst enemy. Sugar lingers in the mouth, and when your teeth are coated in sugary beverages on a consistent basis, your teeth are under constant assault. Oral bacteria are present inside your mouth every day. These bacteria are meant to help rid your mouth of particles left behind after you eat and drink. Most of the time, these oral bacteria are beneficial. However, when they find the presence of sugar, they can become quite damaging in a very short span of time.

Oral bacteria are most attracted to sugar; therefore, they will assemble around sugar particles in vast quantities. As these bacteria go to work to break down sugary particles, they begin to produce acids to assist them. It is these acids that cause damage to the teeth. The acids produced by oral bacteria are the number one cause of cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. If you are regularly drinking sugary beverages, then your teeth are under constant assault from damaging, acid-producing oral bacteria.

Protecting your teeth from sugar requires more than just staying away from soft drinks. Juice and sports drinks also have high amounts of sugar, and they can cause the same amount of damage to your smile. Water is your best option. Not only does water flush out your bodily systems, but it helps to rinse the mouth before oral bacteria can damage your teeth. If you find that you cannot resist a soft drink with your hamburger, fries, or pizza, please take the time to brush your teeth and rinse your mouth after you finish your meal. Don’t leave your teeth coated in sugar and vulnerable to decay.

At Engineered Smiles, we want to encourage you to make the healthiest choices that will promote optimal oral health. Your smile is one of your greatest assets – take care of it!