Health & Fitness
"Tooth Decay, But I only Drink Diet Soda"
“But I only drink Diet Soda.”
“Why do I have cavities?”
These quotes from a conversation takes place all too often in my office
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Maggie has been working hard this past year. Recently graduated college and is working at her first real job. I have known Maggie for many years and she has always taken great care of herself and her teeth.
During a recent visit to our office we where all surprised to find she has several small cavities. Maggie I asked, “ I’m worried, you are cleaning your teeth very well, has something else changed. While the repair of the decay can be accomplished, I felt it most important to find out the cause in order to prevent further decay.
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In our conversation Maggie told us about her job and all its demands. She is working long hours and sometimes has trouble staying awake. Maggie expressed that she has taken up drinking 3, 4 and sometimes 5 caffeinated soft drinks during the day, “but I only drink diet soda, why do I have cavities?” At last we found the cause.
Dental decay is in part caused by sugary and acidic foods. In the case of regular soda, you are ingesting sugar in an acidic liquid. With diet sodas, there is no sugar, but the artificially sweetened beverage is still being delivered in a very acidic liquid. The acids in soda first weaken and then ultimately begin to wear away the tooth enamel.
Maggie’s small cavities were taken care of; she is eating more healthily and removed acidic drinks from her diet. Maggie has found that eating right and getting more sleep makes her feel better and be more productive at work.
Very Important Fact
Diet and regular sodas are only slightly less acidic than stomach acid!
That’s very acidic!
Frequent consumption of diet soda will place you at increased risk for dental decay, resulting in the need for dental fillings. And if the decay is not treated in a timely fashion, you could end up needing crowns, root canals, or even having the tooth or teeth extracted, requiring dental implants! Keep that in mind next time you reach for that Diet soda.
For more information on how your diet can affect your teeth email me at dentalinfo@drborker.com and I will send you a free report and special offer.
Sincerely,
Gary I Borker, DMD
