Are Energy Drinks Ruining Your Teeth?
When it comes to oral health, what you eat affects your teeth and gum health. As a general rule of thumb, you should know to avoid sugary foods. They increase the risk of oral infections like tooth cavities and gum disease. Still, how much do you know about the impact of your favorite drinks on your teeth?
How Do Energy Drinks Affect Your Teeth?
The sugars present in energy drinks are just one of the factors that damage teeth. However, the real problem lies in the acidity of energy drinks. They contain twice the acidity than is present in soda and other sports drinks. Such high levels of acidity threaten your teeth’ health through enamel erosion.
Even though enamels are harder than bones, they start dissolving when exposed to high acidity. Therefore, high consumption of energy drinks erodes the enamel, weakening teeth. When the enamel erodes, it promotes penetration of sugars to the inner teeth’ layers, which are much softer than the exterior.
Another way that energy drinks affect your oral health is through tampering with pH balance. Dentists in Vernon, BC, have found that one sip of an energy drink can lower the pH levels to 2 on the pH scale. When the pH levels drop, it takes about 30 minutes for the body to balance it out through the saliva. Unfortunately, those 30 minutes may be all it takes for sugars and bacteria to seep into inner teeth layers.
Signs That Energy Drinks Are Ruining Your Teeth
Energy drinks may not look like they are harming your teeth immediately after you take your first sip. Instead, your teeth undergo a gradual deterioration with continued use. Some signs that your teeth are yielding to erosion are:
- Heightened tooth sensitivity
- Yellowing teeth
- Tooth cavities
- Persistent bad breath
- Chipping or cracking teeth
Tips to Avoid Ruining Your Teeth with Energy Drinks
The best way to protect your teeth from the adverse acidity in energy drinks is to avoid them altogether. If you can substitute energy drinks for other options like yogurt, you can spare your teeth the damage. Still, consider the following to help you maintain good oral health if you choose to keep taking energy drinks:
- Reduce your consumption – you do not need to be drinking two bottles of energy drinks a day. Reduce the amount and frequency by which you consume energy drinks.
- Drink through a straw – as awkward as it may feel to use straws for energy drinks, it can help protect your teeth from the acidity of energy drinks. Straws reduce the drinks’ exposure and direct contact with teeth enamel.
- Take energy drinks after your meals – you have plenty of saliva in your mouth right after eating. It can better neutralize acidity when you take your energy drinks then.
- Drink water – rinse your mouth with water after drinking the energy drink. It will wash out the acidity and balance the pH.
- Chew sugar-free gum after taking your drink – it increases saliva production without introducing new sugars that can damage enamels.
- Brush your teeth at least twice daily – do not be too aggressive with the brushing lotions, lest you erode your enamels even further. Consider replacing your toothbrush with a soft-bristled one that will be gentle on your teeth and gums while getting the job done. Further, use fluoride toothpaste that will restore minerals to your teeth.
- Do not hold the drink in your mouth too long – swallow the drink quickly to reduce exposing your teeth to acidity.
Treatment Options for Protecting Teeth If You Love Energy Drinks
At Ryan K Dentistry, we advise patients with a sweet tooth or specific cravings to prioritize preventive measures for their dental health. It should be the same if you love energy drinks. Some ways to care for your teeth in preventive and general dentistry are:
- Routine dental cleanings – do not skip your visits to a dental clinic in Vernon, BC. They are opportunities to excel in oral hygiene and fight bacteria that cause dental cavities and gum disease.
- Fluoride treatment – is a preventive treatment that enriches your teeth with fluoride. The natural mineral strengthens teeth while heightening their resistance to acids and bacteria that erode teeth and cause dental cavities.