You may have heard a warning that acidic foods and drinks can cause erosive damage to the teeth and tooth decay. But for now, it is quite difficult to spend a day without bubbling drinks for consumption. Soda drinks such as lemonade or cola can provide acid with a dense dose of sugar which is known to be dangerous for dental health. But apparently, there is also a spectrum of acidic drinks that can also cause tooth erosion such as sparkling mineral water which is often considered safe. In research, it has been found that this can cause many dangers such as other carbonated drinks. Then, what is the effect of sparkling mineral water on our teeth?
Why Are Acidic Drinks Bad for Teeth?
All the problems with drinks that contain lower pH when consumed can interfere with the exchange of minerals that occur in your tooth’s hard shell which is also called tooth enamel, a shiny white layer and a mixture of minerals such as calcium and phosphate which are in the balance of saliva and body.
When you are eating, you can lower your mouth pH so that it becomes more acidic and your tooth enamel will begin to lose minerals. After eating, saliva is designed to rebuild the pH balance and help push minerals back into the teeth.
If you consume foods or drinks that are acidic with too high a frequency, then saliva does not have a chance to rebuild minerals and this can cause tooth erosion or tooth wear that damages the anatomy of human teeth.
Drinks That Must Be Watched Out
In research, it has been shown that the effect of sparkling mineral water on teeth can dissolve tooth enamel when compared to ordinary water. The acidity of mineral water is higher and the mineral composition seems to have little effect on protection for tooth erosion. When compared to soft drinks, mineral water is much easier to cause erosion so you should be more careful with this drink.
As for soda drinks, you really need to avoid the matter of acid damage to your teeth and may be the most common cause of tooth erosion today besides foods that can damage teeth. Fruit juice is often referred to as a healthy choice. Fruit juices such as oranges, apples, and cranberry juice are very high in acidity so they must also be limited and better consume fresh fruit directly.
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Hot lemon water is often consumed for digestion. Drinking warm lemon water in the morning can cause tooth decay and someone with tooth erosion along with conditions such as GERD should also avoid drinking warm lemon water in the morning to reduce the acid burden. If you really have to drink it, then make sure to dilute the lemon juice with one glass of water to prevent excess acidity.
Sports drinks and energy drinks can also cause tooth erosion which can be aggravated when hydrated during exercise and rehydration with acidic sports drinks. While sparkling mineral water can reduce pH to between 4.9 and 5.5 where ordinary bottled water or tap water usually has a pH of 6.9 to 7.5, so sparkling mineral water is more acidic compared to beer and wine.
Drink Plain Water
Although most are aware of the dangers of soda and sports drinks, there are plenty of bottled drinks available that can reduce oral pH and potentially cause tooth erosion. Preferably, familiarize yourself from now on to drinking plain water compared to sparkling mineral water to reduce the acid burden on your mouth.
Do not forget to also do a routine check-up to the dentist to make sure if you are not at risk of experiencing tooth decay due to acid. Although many sparkling mineral drinks of water is consumed now, it turns out there are bad effects that can be caused from this drink, especially for healthy tooth characteristics so you should reduce the consumption of this drink or better avoid it completely to maintain your dental health.