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The Simple Things

A lot of us know that drinking fizzy or sweet drinks through a straw can help our dental hygiene… or at least to some extent prevent the causes of plaque and tooth decay.

It is a fact that the amount of plaque produced is consistent with the amount of sugary and starchy foods we consume.  The reason behind this is; acid from the sugars contained in these items promote bacteria… as the bacteria grow, they produce a white film around the neck of the tooth – called plaque – which causes the tooth to decay.  But alas, this is just one aspect of tooth decay.  Fizzy drinks are acidic in their most basic of forms and can cause extra tough erosion of teeth through their use of refined sugars.  These sugars are the bacteria’s favorite and allow big bad Mr. Plaque to grow and grow and GROW!

Intrigued by different all the varieties of ‘pop’ out there – and I have to admit IF I’m feeling desperate for a Coca Cola, I always stick with the ‘worst’ kind – straight up, regular, Coke – however, I thought I’d take a look and see if buying a ‘Coke Zero’ for instance is any less harmful to your teeth..?

You may guess; the answer is (a rather mean looking) NO!

Even Coke Zero who claims to be zero – well, virtually everything – has Phosphoric Acid in it… you can look ‘Phosphoric Acid’ up in your local garden center as it’s also used for rust-removal(!!!).

My advice, and that of Time Dentals Dr. Rashid is; where possible, avoid these bacteria-promoting refined sugars.  However, understanding that sometimes life requires its own little pleasures to keep things ticking over nicely… in these rare moments, do think to drink with a straw.  Every sip counts!

TD.  x

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