Could “Healthy” Drinks Actually Damage Tooth Enamel?

It is a great idea to eat and drink healthfully. However, sometimes we make changes to try to improve our health and inadvertently make some things worse.

One of these situations is what certain types of healthy drinks can do to our teeth.

Most of us know that sugary sodas and colas are probably not the best type of drink for our teeth. Sugar, of course, can feed the bacteria in her mouth and that can lead to gum disease and cavities. Certain types of cola drinks might be acidic, which can wear away tooth enamel.

As a result, many health-conscious people have turned to alternative drinks that are healthier in many ways. However, they can still cause some problems with the teeth.

What Are the Ways Healthy Drinks Can Negatively Impact Teeth?

There are two main ways that healthy drinks can cause problems with teeth. One is that the drink can contribute to the loss of tooth enamel because it contains acids. The other, is that the drink can feed bacteria via sugar and carbs.

Why Are Acidic Health Drinks a Problem?

Acidic drinks can damage tooth enamel, and it is very important to know that drinks other than colas can be acidic. Citrus is naturally acidic, so any type of citrus juice such as orange juice can potentially impact tooth enamel if it is consumed too much.

When it comes to acidic health drinks, your morning OJ might not be the only problem. Many people do not like the taste of plain water, but they are told that they should drink more of it. One popular way to make water a bit more flavorful is to add some lemon. 

Well, guess what? Lemon is a citrus fruit. That means it’s acidic. So be careful if you are drinking too much lemon water, as it could possibly damage your tooth enamel.

Apple cider vinegar is another health “drink” that is quite acidic. While most people don’t just drink a large amount of apple cider vinegar daily, as it is more likely used as a tonic (perhaps one or two tablespoons a day), it can still impact your teeth.

Why Are Sugary Health Drinks a Problem?

Sugar feeds the bacteria in your mouth, which feeds plaque and tartar, and that leads to gum disease and cavities. And guess what is really, really sugary? That morning smoothie that you’re drinking daily. Or that fruit juice that you’re slurping while at work.

Fruit smoothies can be particularly problematic in that little bits of ground up fruit can get stuck in the teeth and that can lead to a bonanza for bacteria. That bacteria will release acids that can eat away at tooth enamel.

How Can I Minimize Damage to Tooth Enamel?

Other than avoiding these drinks completely and just drinking plain water all the time, you do have a few options. 

• One is to make sure that you rinse your mouth out with some plain water after you have some of these drinks. 
• Two is to drink with a straw so that the sugary or acidic content doesn’t impact your teeth too much, but goes directly down the throat. 
• And three is to get regular fluoride treatments to strengthen your tooth enamel.

What Is a Fluoride Treatment?

A fluoride treatment is a quick and simple way to strengthen your existing tooth enamel. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral. And when it is applied to teeth, fluoride actually helps remineralize the surface of the tooth, which is the enamel portion.

It is important to understand that fluoride will not create new tooth enamel. Once tooth enamel is worn away, it does not regenerate or regrow. However, existing tooth enamel can be made stronger, and this is where fluoride comes in. 

If tooth enamel has been worn away and it cannot be replaced, then it is even more important to strengthen the enamel that is remaining. You want to keep the remaining enamel so that it doesn't completely wear away, because when that happens you will have a cavity and tooth decay.

A fluoride treatment is painless. A special gel or solution is applied to the teeth, and you just wait a little bit, maybe 30 minutes, and that’s it. You’re good to go!

Is a Fluoride Treatment Safe?

Fluoride in dentistry has been controversial for many years. It started many, many decades ago when some municipalities wanted to put fluoride in drinking water. Some folks got concerned that this would be dangerous and protested against it. We are not here to convince you about fluoride and drinking water because consuming fluoride in water is completely different from a topical application of fluoride on a tooth.

It's like the difference between putting Vaseline on a wound and eating Vaseline. You wouldn’t eat Vaseline, would you? Well, fluoride is actually safer than Vaseline when taken internally by far, because it is found in many common foods such as bread, oats, asparagus, beef, and salami. 

But for arguments sake we just wanted to make it clear that even if you were concerned about fluoride in your drinking water, that’s not what we do when we give you or your child a fluoride treatment. We are simply applying the fluoride to the surface of the tooth, where it sits for a set period of time, and then it is rinsed away. 

Help Strengthen Your Tooth Enamel in Gardena, California

If you’ve been drinking too many sugary drinks for your health, and you are concerned about your tooth enamel, come to Gardena Dental Care for a quick and easy fluoride treatment. It is safe and will dramatically strengthen your existing tooth enamel.

If you think your tooth enamel could use a little boost with a fluoride treatment, contact Gardena Dental Care at (424) 295-7885. Our affordable fluoride treatments can strengthen tooth enamel and are safe and effective.