Is That Sugar Damaging Your Dental Health?

Do you love nothing more than an iced cold soda, as an afternoon pick-me-up or even a way to start your morning? If so, you may already know that your health could be at risk, because of all the sugar you are drinking. But have you considered the impact a daily soda habit could be having on your dental health, as well? The teeth are strong, but susceptible to erosion and discoloration. Sadly, sodas can cause both. To help protect your teeth, there are some

simple ways to help prevent dental problems.

Why Is Sugar A Big Deal?

All smiles have bacteria. That said, the plaque bacteria in the mouth feed upon sugar. Therefore, the more sugar you consume on a regular basis, the more likely you are to struggle with acidic erosion, including dental cavities.

Drinking water instead of soda is ideal, both because water is sugar-free and also because water is essential to overall health. That said, there are other ways to help mitigate the damage that drinking a great deal of sugar could cause.

How Can You Protect Your Smile?

Brushing your teeth quickly after a soda is one way to limit how much erosion the sugar could cause. Even chewing a sugar-free gum could help to gently clean the teeth, in between brushings. Drinking water also helps to gently clean the teeth.

It’s also best to drink a soda quickly, rather than sipping on it throughout the day. That’s because the longer your teeth are exposed to the sugars, the more likely erosion is to occur.

Of course, routine dental cleanings are also essential to healthy smiles. So make preventive visits a priority, if you want to protect your smile.