Article on Pop and Tooth Decay

[elliott_gyal]

I think we all know that pop is bad for us.... but when I read this article, I though to myself, maybe its time i cut pop out of my diet... I want to keep my teeth for as long as I can! lol

Article:

Pop and Tooth Decay



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By Dr. Jerry Pedersen, D.D.S.
May 5, 2006
After many decades of improvements in oral health, tooth decay is on the rise again. Much of the blame can be placed on soda pop, with sports drinks and other sugary beverages causing their share of trouble, too.
Soda pop has gone from an occasional treat to the beverage of choice for many people, replacing healthy drinks like milk and water. And with the creation of twist-off pop bottles, many people are sipping on soda all day long instead of just drinking a can and being done with it.
The problem with drinking pop is the sugar and acid in the beverage does major damage to the enamel on your teeth. When you sip soda, the sugar in the drink interacts with bacteria in your mouth and creates an acid. For 20 minutes—as long as it takes for your mouth to produce enough saliva to wash it away—acid is staging a siege on your teeth, attacking the enamel and eroding it.
Enamel is a hard white substance that acts as an important barrier to tooth decay. Weakened enamel thins, darkens, and opens the door wide for tooth decay to set in. Eroded enamel plus decay leads to fillings and a greater likelihood that you will need crowns on your teeth.
And unlike beavers and rats, humans do not grow new enamel. All we have is what we’re ever going to get. So it’s important to treat your enamel well to make sure it lasts and lasts.
While opting for diet soda can reduce some of the dental trouble associated with sugary drinks, it doesn’t totally put you in the clear. That’s because diet soda still contains the same amount of acid as regular pop.
The same goes for sports drinks. They actually have five times more acid that soda pop and some sugar, too. So schools that think they are doing their students a favor by switching vending machines from pop to sports drinks really aren’t off the hook. These drinks also are contributing to the rise in tooth decay.
The best way to prevent tooth decay is to drink pop only occasionally, as a treat. Drink a can and be done with it; don’t sip on a bottle of soda throughout the day. When you’re finished with the pop, rinse your mouth with water or even brush your teeth, if possible. This will halt the acid’s attack on your tooth enamel more quickly.
It’s critical to the oral health of us all to cut back on the consumption of soda pop, sports drinks, and other sugary beverages. Everyone, from children to adults, needs to choose healthy drinks like milk and water.

[NancyM]

so true but it's not just pop it's juices too with all the acid it's also really bad for the teeth

[elliott_gyal]

i drink ALOT of pop. this article scared me.

[NancyM]

i really try not to drink alot of pop but we do have alot in the house it keeps on going on sale i figure i drink enough coffee so that does enough damage to my teeth

[orv]

yikes.. unfortunatly i was like born with bad teeth.... i only just started drinking pop(root beer) over the past year(i know crazy ay?.. i never drank pop for 22 years!!! ) but regardless.. my teeth are bad.. and i brush like crazy..........=(

[elliott_gyal]

yikes.. unfortunatly i was like born with bad teeth.... i only just started drinking pop(root beer) over the past year(i know crazy ay?.. i never drank pop for 22 years!!! ) but regardless.. my teeth are bad.. and i brush like crazy..........=(

awww
my teeth arent perfect, but they are horrible either....
i guess i should go to the confession thread to post this but...
i do not visit a dentist regularly. Cant afford it. last time i went was quite some time ago!!

[Natalka]

Yes, it's been known for decades! But interesting, when I was growing up, pop was a 'treat', truly... I don't even know if we had it once a week.
Now, it's just too pervasive, and kids drink it like water (most unfortunately, wish they would drink as much water).
We always held the reins in pretty tight with our son about pop and juice 'drinks' - and even though now he's 18 and is a Pepsi fanatic, he's still an avid water and milk drinker!

[orv]

i dont visit it frequently because im phobic... i have had more teeth pulled by the dentist(when i was little..) then i had wiggly and fall out...(only lost 4 teeth on my own...all the rest including molars were yanked out..not all at once of corse lol) i avoid the dentist like the plague.......... LOL

[Natalka]

Gee, just found this video - if pop has enough acid to clean a toilet, then.... sheesh!

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Bathroom Cleaning:
How To Clean Your Toilet With Coke

[elliott_gyal]

for some reason the video is not showing up for me

[KouponKlipper]

yep pop is horrible for your teeeth...out of all of them rootbeer is the least acidic believe it or not!!! BUT still not so great! fruit juices are just as bad. Gatorade/sports drinks are SO bad!!!
remember, if you do consume "acidic" beverages, DO NOT brush right after..wait about 20 min to brush.. your saliva will neutralize the acids... if you are out and cannot brush..have some water..chew some sugarless gum, or suck on a sugarless candy, that willl get the saliva goin!! i'm a dental hygienist..so i see a lot of damage from this!

[lekate]

People need to stop buying pop because it's on sale, or cheap or as a treat for around the house, because keeping treats in the house makes it into a daily commodity! We never had it in my house growing up, so it was a treat to me! But once I started hanging out at this girls house in junior high and they had pop at the house all the time, it just seemed like a normal daily beverage. Same goes for chips and any other junk food. These things should not be considered daily commodities, but of course they're cheap to produce and the markup rate is ridiculous that all these companies have billions to spend on advertising each year! The more we see it in media, the more it becomes normal to have all the time! /endrant.

[jenny2]

I always try to avoid the drinks and foods that are rich in sugar content. I also brush my teeth twice daily and use a good mouth wash.

[curt81]

Maybe I should stop drinking an average of 3 pepsi's a day.