Energy Drinks are Bad For Teeth

Energy drinks can take a major toll on teeth. They contain sugar, acids and other teeth harming ingredients. In addition to this, they cause dehydration which can wreak havoc on your oral health. Today I will be discussing with you reasons why you might want to skip the energy drink and grab a water or even a soda instead.

To begin energy drinks are acidic. When you look at the labels on energy drinks, one of the most common ingredients you will come across is citric acid. Citric Acid is used primarily as a tarty flavor enhancer. This ingredient also promotes shelf life in many beverages. The bad thing about this ingredient is that it is an acid, acids and teeth do not mix! This may cause cavities to crop up where you least expect them. Citric acid is all the reason you need to avoid energy drinks, but trust me there are a lot more.

I myself, am not against energy drinks, in fact, I have consumed more than my fair share of them. I like the caffeine, who doesn't? This leads us to our next ingredient, Caffeine. This common stimulant is a diuretic and as a result, will dehydrate you. When a person gets dehydrated this leads to dry mouth, and teeth and dry mouth do not mix! Saliva is essential as it provides a continuous stream of cleaning fluids for the teeth and mouth. When saliva is absent bacteria are more likely to stick to the teeth and create cavities. In addition to this caffeine can be habit-forming leading you to reach for this enamel harming elixir without even realizing it at times.

Just as important as acid and caffeine, sugar is another major culprit in energy drinks. Sugar fuels cavity-causing bacteria causing their growth rate to increase exponentially. Sugar is a mouth bacteria number one favorite food, next to carbs. Providing them with this substance gives them a boost in metabolism unlike anything else. The sugar in combination with dry mouth can cause cavities to crop up practically overnight. Sugar-free energy drinks are not that much better, as they still contain acids and caffeine.

Equally as important as acid, caffeine, and sugars, the carbonation in energy drinks does not help matters whatsoever. When consuming a carbonated drink, the fizziness and bubbles allow the sugar and acids to reach tiny crevices between teeth. This takes things an extra step farther by ensuring all the teeth harming ingredients in these drinks reach every part of your enamel. This is just one of the many reasons why energy drinks are damaging to enamel. Next time you are in the gas station looking for a boost, choose a warm tea and your teeth and health will benefit as a result.

"Citrus"by craigles75 is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Sugar and Dental Health

Cavities are a sticky problem in dentistry, affecting children and adults alike. They are responsible for many trips to the dentist. While seemingly benign at first, cavities can lead to complications in the tooth. Knowing what causes them, how they came about, and how to prevent them is a key factor in keeping a healthy mouth.

Carbohydrates are very sticky, clinging to tooth enamel after they are eaten. Over time, the high sugar concentration can wear down the enamel. When the sugars eat away the enamel, a hole, or cavity, is formed. If left untreated, the cavity can cause complications, such as nerve damage and infection. Oral infections that are left untreated can become systemic, or widespread throughout the body.

It is very important to clean the teeth after every meal. This ensures the removal of any residue build-up that could cause damage to the teeth. If a cavity is detected, it should be filled by a dentist as soon as possible. Regular visits to the dentist can help in cavity detection and treatment The dentist is able to find small, undetectable cavities and fill them before they become a problem.

Discoveries have shown that humans have not always had a problem with cavities. Teeth found from Neanderthals who existed before modern-day man contain no cavities. Strictly meat-eaters, their diets did not consist of any sugary carbohydrates. This discovery shows a strict correlation between a plant diet and cavities. Since Neanderthals did not eat plant-based foods, they did not suffer from tooth damage caused by cavities.

In light of these discoveries, some scientists have hypothesized that eliminating sugary plant foods from the diet would consequently eliminate the occurrence of cavities. However, eating a diet consisting entirely of meat is not only unrealistic but somewhat unhealthy as well. It does present with the conclusion that reducing plant-based foods could greatly decrease the incidence of cavities.

While modern man may not be able to survive on the Neanderthal's diet of meat to reduce the incidence of cavities, there are ways to reduce tooth damage. A person can decrease their consumption of carbohydrates, cleaning the teeth thoroughly after each meal or snack.