The Affects of Carbonated Beverages On Your Teeth

Is the fizz of your favorite sparkling beverage putting you at risk for tooth decay and cavities? With carbonated beverage choices at an all time high many health conscious individuals are wondering if their go-to refreshing drink is putting their oral health in jeopardy. 

According to the ADA, plain sparkling water has pretty much no affect on your enamel. Even though it has a higher acid level than water it isn't enough to change the pH of your saliva. But how many carbonated beverage choices are just plain sparkling water? Most likely your favorite fizzy drink is affecting your teeth and there are three reasons why:

1. Your drink is flavored. 

Acid erodes enamel and many sparkling drinks are flavored with lime, lemon, orange and other citrus flavors. Citrus is highly acidic and a drink with added citrus flavor can change the pH of your mouth and will take a toll on your teeth every time you take a sip. 

2. Your drink has added sugar.

While "healthy" sparkling beverages usually have less sugar than a traditional soda they still may contain sugar. Even a few grams of sugar is still enough to cause damage to your teeth if you slowly sip on your beverage for more than 20 minutes. Sugar feeds the cavity-causing bacteria called Streptococcus mutans and these bad bacteria produce acid as a by-product. So we've circled back to acid which means we've circled back to enamel erosion!

3. Your drink has other added ingredients.

Some drinks like club soda contain disodium phosphate, potassium bicarbonate, potassium citrate, potassium sulfate, salt, sodium bicarbonate, or sodium citrate, all of which can be harmful to your body and are abrasive ingredients on your teeth. 

So in summary, sticking with plain water is always the smartest choice for a healthy mouth. But when a fun, fizzy drink is calling your name make sure to check the ingredients and choose a drink without added sugars and ingredients you can't pronounce, and try to steer clear of acidic flavors.