3 Decay-Promoting Drinks May Factor Into Need for Cheap Dental Care

By Susan B.

Soda

As far as your mouth is concerned, sodas are your #1 enemy! Imagine a gang of harmful ingredients attacking your tooth enamel – the main decay causing factors from soda are:

• Acid content
• Phosphorus content
• Caffeine
• Sugar

Some sodas have as much acid in them as in a battery, and drinking sodas over a long period of time slowly breaks down the enamel of your teeth. The phosphoric acid and caffeine in soda are also a culprit for tooth breakdown. Although phosphorus is a necessary element in your bones, too much phosphorus can lead to bone loss, and caffeine limits calcium absorption by your teeth.

The sugar in sodas attaches to bacteria and makes it stick to the surface of your enamel, which can cause serious damage to your teeth. Limiting or eliminating sodas from your diet is good for your overall health, but especially good for your bones and teeth. Another helpful tip is to drink your soda through a straw to keep these harmful elements of soda off your teeth as much as possible. If you are experiencing extensive tooth decay due to soda consumption, be sure to get the professional, cheap dental care you need to address the decay but not break the bank.

Sports Drinks

Different studies show multiple results regarding sports drinks and tooth decay – the varying factors are when and how often you consume these drinks. The acidity and sugar of sports drinks are similar to soda in their affect on your mouth. However, the amount of saliva produced when you drink a sports drink will greatly alter the affect the drink has on your teeth. If you are sipping a sports drink at your desk, on the bench, or during a bike ride, your teeth will experience greater affects of decay that if you have a sports drink with your meal. (The chewing of food will increase your saliva flow, reducing the decay began by these acidic and sugary drinks.)

Wine

White wine has a high acid content and wears away at tooth enamel, similar to the affect of fruit juice. Although red wines are more apt to leave your teeth stained, they wear at your teeth less. Prolonged exposure of your teeth to wine (because wine is typically sipped), decreases the pH balance of your mouth and gives bacteria a favorable environment to grow. If you choose to drink wine, make sure that you eat at the same time and eat foods rich in calcium, such as cheese, to help counter the affects of this acid.

Removing these 3 drinks from your diet is a great way to keep out of the dentist’s chair as much as possible. However, if you already have many cavities due to sugary drinks, you may want to look for a cheap dental plan. Cheap dental care is helpful after consistent consumption of sugary, acidic drinks, and a cheap dental plan may help you get to the dentist soon for early detection of any oral problems.

For more cheap dental care tips from Susan B., see this article.