Pop and Tooth Decay

Dr. Jerry Pedersen, D.D.S.

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.

Dr. Jerry Pedersen, D.D.S., is director of the Hibbing Community College Dental Clinic and an associate professor in the School of Dentistry at the University of Minnesota. Advice presented should not take the place of an examination by a health-care professional. For more health-related information, go to http://www.healthtalk.umn.edu.