You might think sipping on your favorite pinot noir or sparkling water doesn’t do much harm to your teeth except cause some staining, but in reality, different drinks can cause quite an amount of harm to your teeth. At Appolon Dental Group, we want our patients to take as good of care of their teeth as possible to extend their lifespan and to showcase a beautiful smile at all times. Find out how these 9 drinks affect your teeth before you take your next sip.
1. Beer
With craft beer taking the nation by a storm, more people are enjoying beer than ever. Unfortunately, it can harm your teeth in several different ways. To start, beer is acidic, with a pH between 4.0 to 5.5. Acidic beverages can cause wear to the tooth’s enamel which can result in more cavities. Beer can also result in dehydration which means you produce less saliva. With less saliva, your mouth doesn’t wash away as much bacteria as it should. This can also result in more cavities. Lastly, beer contains sugar that can stick to your teeth and cause bacteria to form. This results in enamel loss and cavities. Who knew beer could cause so much harm?
2. Wine
Most people know red wine stains your teeth, but don’t know that white wine is actually more acidic, which can wear away your enamel and leave you more susceptible to cavities and staining. Whether you drink red or white wine, either can wear away your enamel and cause staining.
3. Water
Drink all the water you want. Water has no impact on your teeth! It’s actually helpful. When you stay hydrated, it increases your flow of saliva that protects your teeth from bacteria and decay. If you’re drinking mineral water, this has even more benefits. Drink up!
4. Vodka
Don’t choose cheap vodka or your teeth will pay the price. Vodka can range anywhere from a low pH of 4 to a high pH of 8. The pH inside your mouth should be an average of 6.2 and 7.0. If the pH of vodka doesn’t harm your teeth, the dehydration from the alcohol will.
5. Sparkling Water
Although it would seem that drinking water without sugar would be safe for your teeth, carbonated water is actually not. Sparkling and seltzer water tends to have a pH level between 2.74 and 3.34, with greater erosive power than orange juice.
6. Milk
Milk has a pH above 6.5 which means it’s perfect for keeping your teeth healthy and strong! Just be careful about the sugar content in milk. You should still rinse your mouth or brush your teeth after drinking to prevent bacteria from forming.
7. Coffee
Coffee only has a pH of 5.0 so it’s safer for your teeth than drinking sparkling water. On the downside, it can leave you with stains. If you add sugar to your coffee, this can also cause damage to your teeth. For best results, drink your coffee through a straw and black if possible.
8. Soda
Soda is harmful to your waistline in addition to your teeth, although sugar-free options aren’t as bad. Drinking soda regularly can erode your enamel and thus cause cavities. However, different flavors do different damage. For example, root beer scores better than other sodas and is about as harmful to your teeth as tap water.
9. Tea
Depending on what type of tea you drink will determine the effects on your teeth. For example, most brewed teas have a pH of 5.5. Green tea may even prevent decay and have positive effects on the gums! Once you drink iced tea though, everything changes. Ice teas have a low pH from 2.5 to 3.5, and if they contain sugar, they’re even worse. You might be better off drinking soda than sweetened iced tea.
If you want to indulge in these drinks every once in a while, it’s not going to kill your teeth. Instead, practice drinking water or brushing your teeth after consuming it. Drinking through a straw can also reduce the damage that occurs to your teeth.
If you’re worried about the harmful effects of these drinks on your teeth, please visit Appolon Dental Group for a dental exam and cleaning. Please contact us by calling (212) 557-8668 to book an appointment.
