Listen to Your Dentist When They Recommend Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Chances are that you've heard about how soda can be really bad for your teeth. Even drinking diet soda won't save your teeth from the damage that can be caused by drinking this sweet beverage frequently. Here is what you need to know about the effects of soda on oral health.

Bacteria Feeds Off Sugar

Try rubbing your tongue across your teeth when you wake up. Do you notice a film on your teeth that is a bit sticky? What you're feeling is plaque, which contributes to tooth decay. Plaque is essential bacteria, and it loves to feed off sugar. Bacteria actually gets most of its energy from the sugar found in the foods that we eat.

Studies have found that drinking soda creates an ideal environment for bacteria to feed off the sugar for about 20 minutes. If you constantly are sipping soda throughout the day, it creates conditions that allow bacteria to feed all day long for 20 minutes with every sip.

Soda Erodes Enamel

Think diet soda will keep your teeth safe because it doesn't have soda. While you may avoid the bacteria feeding frenzy, the acidic nature of soda will cause a fair amount of damage. This is because sodas contain citric and phosphoric acid, which damage your teeth.

Acids are known to soften the tooth enamel, which causes tooth decay. A dentist may have one time said that your teeth have soft enamel, which can be caused by soda consumption. Think about how soda can create a burning sensation if you hold it on your tongue for a little bit. That is the sensation that eats away at enamel.

Soda Can Stain Teeth

Were you aware that the enamel on your teeth actually absorbs soda when you drink it? If you drink soda for a long enough period of time, the soda can actually cause stains to form on your teeth. These stains will be in the tooth enamel, and you cannot remove the stain with normal brushing. You will need to have your teeth whitened by a dentist to restore them back to their normal color.

While you may enjoy the taste of soda, know that it is causing damage to your teeth every time you consume the beverage. If you want to know if you have been causing damage to your teeth with your regular soda consumption, schedule an appointment with a general dentist to have a cleaning and inspection performed.