From Healthline.com
"When you drink soda, the sugars it contains interact with bacteria in your mouth to form acid. This acid attacks your teeth. Both regular and sugar-free sodas also contain their own acids, and these attack the teeth too. With each swig of soda, you’re starting a damaging reaction that lasts for about 20 minutes. If you sip all day, your teeth are under constant attack.
How to prevent damage
The obvious solution? Stop drinking soda. But many of us just can’t seem to kick the habit. There are things you can do to lessen the risk of damaging your teeth, however.
Drink in moderation. Don’t have more than one soft drink each day. Just one will do damage enough.
Drink quickly. The longer it takes to drink a soft drink, the more time it has to wreak havoc on your dental health. The faster you drink, the less time the sugars and acids have to damage your teeth. (Just don’t use this as an excuse to drink twice as many soft drinks!)
Use a straw. This will help keep the damaging acids and sugars away from your teeth.
Rinse your mouth with water afterward. Flushing your mouth with some water after drinking soda will help wash away any remaining sugars and acids, and stop them from attacking your teeth.
Wait before you brush. Despite what you may think, brushing immediately after you have a soda isn’t a good idea. That’s because the friction against the vulnerable and recently acid-attacked teeth can do more harm than good. Instead, wait 30 to 60 minutes.
Avoid soft drinks before bedtime. Not only will the sugar likely keep you up, but the sugar and acid will have all night to attack your teeth.
Get regular dental cleanings. Regular checkups and exams will identify problems before they worsen."
For more information about our Dunedin Dental Practice, visit www.drcoccarodmd.com
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