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What Drinks to Avoid for Dental Health?
People who frequently drink soft drinks should take note. A new study by American scientists has found that soft drinks are highly corrosive to teeth, with some carbonated beverages having a corrosiveness comparable to the acid used in car batteries.
Experimental Process
A research team at Southern Illinois University conducted an experiment on the corrosiveness of soft drinks to teeth. The team purchased 20 types of soft drinks from the market, including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and 7-Up. They immediately measured the pH after opening them, then cut enamel slices from newly extracted teeth. After weighing the slices separately, they were placed in the drinks for 48 hours before being taken out and weighed again.
The results showed that the enamel slices soaked in seven beverages, including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Royal Crown Cola, and 7-Up, lost more than 5% of their weight.
The research team stated that although no one would hold a drink in their mouth for two days as in the experiment, the corrosive effects of the drink are apparent from the beginning and intensify over time.
The latest research report was published in the Journal of the American Dental Association's *General Dentistry*.
Startling Conclusions
Any soft drink containing citric acid or carbonic acid will damage tooth enamel. Orange juice and sports drinks can also erode teeth, but cola drinks are more corrosive. In the first three minutes after consumption, the corrosiveness of cola drinks is 10 times that of fruit juice drinks.
Most people believe soft drinks are harmless or are only concerned about their sugar content causing obesity. In fact, long-term consumption of these drinks erodes the tooth enamel on the surface of the teeth.
The acidity of non-cola soft drinks is weaker than that of colas, but their corrosiveness to teeth is also significant. Citric acid is the most commonly used acid in non-cola drinks and is also an extremely corrosive substance in beverages.
Expert Advice
Kenton Ross, a spokesperson for the American Dental Association, said that the study found Royal Crown Cola to be the most acidic soft drink, with a pH of 2.387; Cherry Coke was second with a pH of 2.522; and Coca-Cola ranked third with a pH of 2.525.
pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline a solution is, ranging from 0 to 14. The acidity decreases and the alkalinity increases as the number rises from low to high. A solution with a pH of 7 is neutral, such as pure water at room temperature. The pH of some soft drinks is comparable to that of the acid used in car batteries.
Ross advised: "When drinking carbonated beverages, use a straw to reduce contact with the teeth, and only drink them during meals."
Industry Defense
The report from the research team drew opposition from the American Beverage Association, which was considered inconsistent with the facts.
Tracy Halliday, a spokesperson for the American Beverage Association, said: "The research results cannot be applied to real life, as people's eating and drinking habits vary and are influenced by many factors."
Richard Adamson, a scientific advisor to the American Beverage Association, pointed out that the research team did not consider protective measures such as brushing teeth. "The most protective element in the mouth is saliva, which has a diluting and buffering effect. In terms of affecting oral hygiene, many other foods and drinks have the same effect as soft drinks, such as fruits, fruit juices, pickles, salad dressings, and various alcoholic beverages. Tooth erosion is not caused by a single food or drink but involves multiple factors. The key is to enjoy anything in moderation."