Drinks That Could Affect Your Oral Health

Drinks That Could Affect Your Oral Health

Today’s market offers a wide array of beverage variants, from alcoholic and carbonated ones to flavored and plain fluids. The question you should consider when grabbing that can or bottle is, “would this be a good choice for my teeth and gums?”
The ADA, indeed, recommends consumers to pick their fluid of choice that can not only quench the thirst but offers good nutrition to the body and promotes oral health wellness. In fact, a daily drink of 8-12 cups of water is ample enough to help prevent tooth decay, much more if it’s fluoridated water content.
With the promise of purified and cleaner water, more and more Americans are drawn into drinking from bottled water as they are distilled or mineralized. Statistics show that Americans were able to consume more than 5 billion gallons of bottled drinking water in the year 2000 alone; a drastic increase from the earlier decade.
If you are one of the bottled drinking water enthusiasts, then there is some news for you: habitual drinking from bottled water can rob you of the preventive benefits of fluoride found on common tap water. For more oral-friendly drinks that are okay for both the kids and adults alike, consider fruit juices with less sweeteners, low, non-fat milk and other dairy products that are significantly high in calcium.
Babies and toddlers can often develop tooth decay when their teeth are frequently exposed to high-sugar content liquids like juices and flavored water. These are often called “baby bottle tooth decay. Habitually putting the baby in bed with a milk bottle can sometimes be blamed for occurrences of baby tooth decay. Pools of sugary liquids mixed with their saliva occur inside the baby’s mouth. Bacteria inhabiting inside the mouth utilize these sugars as food. Their by-product, acids that attack the teeth forming tooth decays. These acids attack the teeth for 20 minutes or longer and after so much attack, the toddler’s fragile tooth set is yet to give in, thus, tooth decays formed.
The American Dental Association reminds the consuming population to be mindful of their beverage intakes, especially those of high sugar content. Regular nondiet sodas or soft drinks can contain as much as 11 teaspoons of sugar per 8 oz. serving. Not only can this bring red alert to your body’s health but it can also drastically increase the risk of having tooth decay. Even diet soft drinks that claimed to have reduced or zero sugar can also as much amount of non-sugar sweeteners that nevertheless erode tooth enamel.
Aside from smoking, constant intake of coffee, tea, colas, energy drinks and even wines, can also lead to staining of the teeth. Consuming them the unconventional way, like sipping them through straws, can help, maintain the pearly white sheen of your teeth. Other methods include rinsing your mouth thoroughly after drinking. Or brushing afterwards, aside from regular brushing, can be the best way to prevent staining of your teeth.
To sum it all, a good oral hygiene is still the best way to prevent tooth decay. The American Dental Association never ceases on telling the public to brush our teeth twice a day and recommended further to use fluoride toothpaste. Brushing may not suffice in cleaning the spaces in-between the teeth thus, do it with an interdental cleaner or with floss. And for best results, always eat a balanced and nutritious meal while limiting in-between meals or snacks. Have your pearly whites be checked with your dentist for examination, cleanings and professional cleanings.