It is common knowledge that sugary drinks can result in tooth decay. But if you primarily drink sugar free drinks to avoid this problem, you should know that your efforts aren’t actually helping to improve your oral health. A new study conducted at the University of Melbourne has found that sugar free drinks are just as bad for your teeth as their sugary counterparts.
According to researchers participating in this study, many sugar free drinks are highly acidic and erode your tooth enamel in comparable levels to drinks containing sugar. Ultimately, this increases your risk of tooth decay.
“While reducing your sugar intake does reduce your risk of dental decay, the chemical risk of acids in some foods and drinks can cause the equally damaging condition of dental erosion,” says Dr. Eric Reynolds, co-author of the University of Melbourne study.
The study was conducted in several phases which evaluated the impact of 23 different types of drinks on 70 human molars. In the first phase, participants drank 15 different beverages, some of which contained sugar and some of which did not. All of the drinks evaluated in this phase of the study resulted in tooth decay with the exception of milk.
For the second phase of the study, participants consumed water, Coca Cola, and 8 different sports drinks. While Coke resulted in by far the most amount of tooth decay, the sports drinks also led to a significant amount of decay. No cavities were observed from water.
In addition, participants were asked to consume 32 sugar free baked goods and candy, many of which contained similar acid levels as sugar free drinks. Many of these sugar free food products also resulted in significant tooth decay, with fruit-flavored treats (particularly lemon flavored ones) being the worst for your teeth.
In order to reduce your risk of cavities, Dr. Frye recommend limiting your consumption of acidic sugar free drinks. Instead, you should drink plenty of water since it won’t cause any damage to your teeth.
In addition, it’s important to visit our Pittsburgh dental office twice a year for your regularly scheduled checkups and teeth cleanings. During these visits, Dr. Frye will remove any plaque and tartar that has built up on your teeth, and they will check to make sure you don’t have any cavities. By treating tooth decay in its earliest stages, you can preserve more of your natural tooth structure and maintain optimal levels of oral health for years to come.
Please contact Dentonics using the form at the right side of the page or call 412-487-6910 today to schedule dental checkup and teeth cleaning. We serve patients in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.
