It now seems to be conventional wisdom that soda and coffee are bad for your teeth, but what about the other caffeine drinks we use to make it through a work day? Well, new research shows that energy drinks, too, adversely affect the health of your choppers.
In a study published in the May/June issue of General Dentistry, researchers looked for the first time at the effects of energy drinks on teeth. As it turns out, energy drinks contain high amounts of citric acid, and while citric acid is great for enhancing flavor and elongating the shelf life of these drinks, it wreaks havoc on your teeth.
Citric acid erodes tooth enamel, the tooth’s outer shell. And this hard covering does a lot to protect teeth from daily stress, stain and decay. Unfortunately, tooth enamel is not like a broken bone that mends itself or a cut that scars to heal. Once tooth enamel is damaged, it is damaged forever. Damaged enamel causes gaps in protection, making teeth vulnerable to decay and pain. Clearly something to avoid!
So what’s a girl (or guy) to do for a tooth-healthy morning pick-me-up?
Green and black teas might just be the answer. Tea has elements that interact with plaque bacteria. These elements either kill bacteria or prevent them from growing and producing tooth-attacking acid.
For other tips on tooth-healthy food and drinks, as well as the top items to avoid, click here.
Have you changed your caffeine habits to protect your teeth? We’d love to hear about what you’re doing!
