Why are Soft Drinks Bad for Your Teeth?

So it’s pretty standard knowledge that downing a few soft drinks per day is extremely bad for your teeth. But what makes soft drinks more harmful than other common beverages like coffee or tea?

To begin with, there are two aspects that can make a drink bad for your teeth. First, there’s the sugar content. Soft drinks, in particular, contain massive amounts of sugar. One can of Coca Cola has 39 grams of sugar and a 20oz bottle has 65 grams. Sugar provides food for the bacteria that are responsible for tooth decay. The more sugar you have in your mouth, the easier it is for harmful bacteria to thrive.

The other factor that makes some drinks worse than others is acidity. Acid can erode the protective casing around your teeth called enamel. A weakened enamel layer means a weakened defense against bacteria.

Your mouth’s natural pH is 7.0—the same as water. Anything above 7.0 is considered alkaline, anything below is acidic. A can of Pepsi has a pH of 2.49. By comparison, battery acid has a pH of 1.0 and stomach acid, 2.0.

Soft drinks are terrible for your teeth because they combine both sugar content and acidity. While black coffee may stain your teeth, a cup of Folgers doesn’t have any sugar and its pH is 5.5. Tea, likewise, doesn’t have any sugar and is actually a little alkaline. It’s the exact opposite of the Coke sitting in your fridge.

To learn more about taking care of your oral health, contact Greenspoint Dental today to speak to one of our Houston dentists and set up an appointment.