Soft drinks and fruit drinks have just about replaced water when it comes to our drinking needs especially in teens. The average amount of sugar is 17 teaspoons in an average soft drink. The damage done by the acids present in some fruits drinks are comparable to battery acids such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid.
These acids have an erosive effect on the teeth and wear away the enamel and these effects are permanent.
Experts have suggested brewed tea as the best tooth friendly beverage in a study published in the august issue of general dentistry as well as some other journals.
Apart from being tasty, brewed tea has been known to have many health benefits. Tea has a large amount of antioxidants which help to fight against cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
The study also found that tea has no erosive effect on teeth. The study also compared the effects of green tea and black tea and found that green tea is a better alternative. Besides being the “in” thing nowadays, green tea is a healthier option because of the natural flavonoids and antioxidants present in it.
However, experts also suggested against avoiding additives such as milk, lemon or sugar as they reduce the benefits by combining with the natural flavonoids present in tea. It is also suggested to give prepackaged iced teas a miss as they contain high levels of citric acids and sugars.
The benefits of tea are retained irrespective of it being warm or cold as long as additives are avoided.
Dentists see tooth erosion cases on a daily basis and have attributed the tooth erosion problems with high levels of soft drink consumption.
Tips to avoid tooth erosion:
- Avoid carbonated drinks as much as possible.
- If you have to drink, drink quickly and avoid sipping for a long time.
- Do not add additives such as sugar, milk or lemon.
- Munch on chewing gums which increases salivary production.
- Rinse with water after consumption.
