Beware the effect of soft drink on your teeth - image  on https://www.foundationdental.com.au
  OPEN WEEKDAYS 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM   |     Email   |     Bne: (07) 3878 2519   |     S'Cst: (07) 5444 2800
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Brisbane
  • 한국

Foundation Dental Services

  • WHAT WE DO
    • Periodontics
    • Dental Implants
    • Minor Oral Surgery
    • Oral Medicine & Oral Pathology:
    • Korean Dental Services
    • 한국어 치과 서비스
  • OUR TEAM
    • Dr John Carrigy
    • Dr Simon Moore
    • Dr Miriam Lee
  • LOCATIONS
    • Sunshine Coast Periodontics (Mountain Creek)
    • West Brisbane Periodontics (Taringa)
    • Consultation Clinics (Brisbane City & Regional)
  • ABOUT
    • Our Mission
    • We Work with Your Dentist
    • Do I Need a Referral to See a Periodontist?
    • What is Contemporary Periodontics?
    • For Our Referrers / Health Professionals
    • Video Library
  • REFERRALS
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
Refer Patient
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Blog
  • Dental Tips
  • Beware the effect of soft drink on your teeth
 

BLOG

FDS Admin
Foundation Dental
Friday, 31 May 2013 / Published in Dental Tips, Latest News

Beware the effect of soft drink on your teeth

Before you take your next sip of diet soda, read this article on how it can damage your teeth as badly as methamphetamine or crack cocaine, according to a new study from the US.

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) — Heavy consumption of diet soda can damage teeth as badly as methamphetamine or crack cocaine, a new study contends.

“You look at it side-to-side with ‘meth mouth’ or ‘coke mouth,’ it is startling to see the intensity and extent of damage more or less the same,” said Dr. Mohamed Bassiouny, a professor of restorative dentistry at the Temple University School of Dentistry in Philadelphia.

Methamphetamine, crack cocaine and soda — sweetened or not — are all highly acidic and can cause similar dental problems, Bassiouny said in a study published recently in the journal General Dentistry.

The acid in soda is in the form of citric acid and phosphoric acid, Bassiouny said. Without good dental hygiene, constant exposure can cause erosion and significant oral damage, he said.

In his study, he found that a woman in her 30s who drank 2 liters of diet soda daily for three to five years experienced tooth rot and decay remarkably similar to that suffered by a 29-year-old methamphetamine addict and a 51-year-old habitual crack cocaine user.

The younger man had used methamphetamine for three years, and often downed two or three cans of regular soda a day because the drugs made his mouth so dry. The older man reported an 18-year history of crack abuse.

The woman said concerns about weight gain led her to choose diet soda over regular, and admitted that she had not seen a dentist in many years, according to the study. She also associated sweetened beverages with a higher risk of tooth decay.

Her teeth were soft and discolored, with many destroyed by erosion. She usually sipped the beverage directly from a can or a bottle, and held the soda in her mouth before swallowing, Bassiouny said.

“She also mentioned that when doing so, she habitually leaned on her left side against the arm of the sofa while watching television,” he said. The “massive” damage to the left side of her mouth bore this out and resulted in what is called a collapsed bite.

“None of the teeth affected by erosion were salvageable,” Bassiouny said. The woman had to have all of her teeth removed and replaced with dentures.

Methamphetamine and crack are known to ravage the mouths of users, and the two drug abusers needed all of their teeth extracted.

Besides exposing teeth to damaging acid, these illegal drugs reduce the amount of saliva in the mouth, providing less opportunity for the acids to wash away. The drugs also cause systemic health problems that affect dental hygiene. Previous studies have linked “meth mouth” with rampant decay.

A group representing soft drink manufacturers said this case study should not be seen as an indictment of diet sodas generally.

“The woman referenced in this article did not receive dental health services for more than 20 years — two-thirds of her life,” the American Beverage Association said in a statement. “To single out diet soda consumption as the unique factor in her tooth decay and erosion — and to compare it to that from illicit drug use — is irresponsible.

“The body of available science does not support that beverages are a unique factor in causing tooth decay or erosion,” the group said. “However, we do know that brushing and flossing our teeth, along with making regular visits to the dentist, play a very important role in preventing them.”

Dr. Eugene Antenucci, spokesman for the Academy of General Dentistry, said he was not surprised by Bassiouny’s findings.

“From my experience, the damage that happens to people’s mouths from cocaine or methamphetamine are degrees greater than what I see from soda, but I see a lot of damage from soda,” said Antenucci, a dentist in Huntington, N.Y.

Damage from excessive soda consumption can cause “very deep brown stains, where it’s actually eroded into the tooth, and the teeth are soft and leathery,” he said.

Prevention is the best cure, Bassiouny said. How often you drink soda, how much you drink and how long it’s in your mouth all are important factors. “You can help prevent it from happening by reducing any of those,” he said.

Sugar-free soda is no better than regular soda when it comes to dental decay, Bassiouny added. “Both of them have the same drastic effect if they are consumed in the same frequency, the same amount and the same duration,” he said.

Antenucci said people need to keep in mind that they are drinking something that is highly acidic when they pick up a soda.

“Knowing that, you limit it and understand that you need to clean your mouth afterward,” he said. “Even simple water will wash away the acidity. And everyone should brush twice a day, if not more often.”

Should people give up drinking soda? “You’d be better off if you didn’t drink the soda,” Antenucci said, “but in my mind there’s not a reason for that extreme.”

More information

The Academy of General Dentistry has tips on healthy eating for healthy teeth.

Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

  • Tweet
Tagged under: Brisbane Dental Implants, Brisbane Periodontist, Dental Specialist, Oral Surgery, Periodontal disease, Periodontics Brisbane

What you can read next

Dr Carrigy lecturing the final year students
Cambodian Trip June 2013
New Specialist Rooms at Sunshine Coast
Is age the cause of receding gums?

Recent Posts

  • Beware the effect of soft drink on your teeth - image 011-150x150 on https://www.foundationdental.com.au

    What is Periodontal Disease and What Your Periodontist Wants You to Know About It

    When told about their oral health, most people ...
  • What Is a Periodontist and What Dental Treatments They Can Provide?

    Your gums need as much TLC as your teeth. If yo...
  • Beware the effect of soft drink on your teeth - image tooth-facts-150x150 on https://www.foundationdental.com.au

    Cool truths about the tooth

    Some impressive tooth facts here. Please note w...
  • Beware the effect of soft drink on your teeth - image tooth-decay-large-150x150 on https://www.foundationdental.com.au

    Growing rate of dental decay and disease

    “As dentists, we see first-hand the growi...
  • What is a dental implant?

    The diagram below shows how a dental implant is...

Categories

  • Affordable Dental Implants
  • Brisbane Dental Implants
  • Dental Health
  • Dental Implants Brisbane
  • Dental Implants Sunshine Coast
  • Dental Tips
  • Latest News
  • Periodontics Brisbane
  • Periodontist Brisbane
  • Periodontist Sunshine Coast

FOUNDATION DENTAL

We work in close consultation with our referring general dentists & allied health practitioners to achieve the best possible treatment outcomes - with a healthy, stable mouth the ultimate goal.

RECENT NEWS

VIEW ALL
  • What is Periodontal Disease and What Your Periodontist Wants You to Know About It

    July 13, 2018

OUR LOCATIONS

Main Practices:

  • Taringa (BNE West): 2/180 Moggill Road Taringa
  • Strathpine (BNE North): 1/520 Gympie Road, Strathpine
  • Sunshine Coast: 1/128 Golf Links Road, Mountain Creek

Consultation Clinics:

  • 275 Stafford Road, Stafford
  • 141 Queen Street, Brisbane
  • 1352 Creek Road, Carina
  • 1661 Logan Road, Upper Mt Gravatt
  • 1 James Street, Beenleigh
  • 156-164 Urraween Road Medical Centre, Urraween 4655

CONTACT DETAILS

Phone & Email (Click to Call):

  • Brisbane / Taringa: (07) 3878 2519
  • Sunshine Coast: (07) 5444 2800
  • Email: [email protected]

Office Details:

  • View Our Locations
  • Monday - Friday: Open 9am - 5pm
  • Refer a Patient Online
© 2019 Foundation Dental Services Periodontics & Dental Implants. All rights reserved.
Home | Privacy | Disclaimer | Contact | Website Marketing theProduct
Google Rating
4.7
Foundation Dental Services
Foundation Dental Services
4.7
Gerd Haberkern
Gerd Haberkern
03:59 23 Jul 16
Having had two implants done by Dr John Carrigy 12 years ago and absolutely no issues with them since, I didn’t hesitate to request a referral to Foundation Dental and Dr Carrigy when I needed another implant recently. Once again, I was most impressed with the preparation and care taken to ensure a sterile environment for the procedure, which was very reassuring. Furthermore, John explains what he is doing and why throughout. He takes the trouble to understand his patient and fully answer any questions or concerns. There was minimal pain or discomfort in the days after the procedure, and two weeks later everything has healed perfectly. I would recommend John Carrigy to anyone considering an implant. It beats all other options and the professionalism shown by Dr Carrigy is outstanding.
360 Results
360 Results
09:08 22 Dec 14
Fantastic team and definitely NOT your average dentist! It was a JOY to visit them.
Julie Sawyer
Julie Sawyer
08:29 13 Aug 13
Great experience. Cant recommend highly enough!
Ken Lifu
Ken Lifu
09:31 25 Jun 16
Dr Carrigy was very professional & pleasant when explaining the procedure which made me comfortable in proceeding with such a major procedure. In short,not as painful in more ways than one would normally expect!
Aaron Moxham
Aaron Moxham
00:08 14 Aug 15
Was made to feel calm and safe throughout the procedure excellent service
See All Reviews Write a review
powered by Google
Beware the effect of soft drink on your teeth - image  on https://www.foundationdental.com.au
TOP