Effects of Alcohol and Soft Drinks on the Teeth

“Oh how much I love fizzy drinks!”

“I just cannot do without taking at least one bottle of soft drink per day”…

These and many more are the testimonies of lots of people. On a weekly basis, they consume bottles of soft, fizzy drinks. Others are ardent fans of alcoholic drinks and spirits.Apart from the

Apart from the damage that these drinks do to vital organs in the body, there is also a lot to lose in the aspect of oral well-being. All these drinks cannot but come in contact with the teeth and inadvertently leave some level of residue on the teeth.

What effects then do these drinks and alcohols have on the teeth?

Dear reader, if you’re a fan of alcohol and soft drinks or perhaps your little kid cannot do without those soft drinks, you might just need to take your time and go carefully over this article if you care to know how those things affect the teeth. We’ll take a look first at the effects of Alcohol on the teeth and then we’ll do same for Soft Drinks.

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON THE TEETH

Generally, alcohols are not considered healthy for consumption. In addition to the negative side effects that they have on the body, below are some effects they have on the teeth:

Stain

Alcohols, especially the heavily coloured ones cause the teeth to become stained because chromogens from the acid content stick to the teeth. Not only do they cause long-lasting discolouration of the teeth, they also cause the teeth to become dull.

So, if you’ve got a flair for white teeth and nice pictures, you have to watch your alcohol intake. One way to way to avoid this though is to take alcohol with straws so that there is no direct contact with the teeth.

Tooth Decay

Alcohol intake results in dryness of the mouth due to a reduction in saliva flow. Bacteria that should have been washed away normally by saliva can then cling to the teeth due to its shortage in the mouth.

In addition, most alcohols contain sugar upon which bacteria feed and can thrive. Over time, bacteria build-up causes the teeth to decay. When the teeth begin to decay, the risk of having sensitive teeth is increased.

Weaker Teeth

Alcoholic drinks are capable of eroding the calcium content of the enamel. This weakens the structure of the enamel which of course leads to weaker teeth. When this happens, a little impact can cause the teeth to fall out of place.

All these effects can be avoided by keeping away from alcohol as much as possible. But if you will take alcohol, try to use a drinking straw in order to prevent the drink from coming into direct contact with the teeth.

Another measure you can take is to ensure that you rinse your mouth vigorously with water so as to wash off residues that might be left behind on the teeth after alcohol intake.

EFFECTS OF SOFT DRINKS ON THE TEETH

The effects of soft drinks on the teeth are pretty much like those caused by alcoholic drinks; they do a have a lot in common in terms of harm done to the teeth. However, it’s imperative to make some additions.

Erosion of the Enamel

Soft drinks contain some acids that cause the hardness of the enamel (the outermost protective layer of the teeth) to reduce. Thus, the enamel begins to wear away, exposing the dentin.

Cavities

When acids act on the enamel to expose the dentin, further action due to continual contact of the dentin with these acids cause the dentin to be broken down. This leaves the affected tooth or set of teeth with holes. These holes in the teeth are called cavities. If cavities are not properly managed and attended to, the result could be unbearable.

In all, when it comes to fizzy drinks, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks, total abstinence might not be feasible, considering their level of appeal to the average individual, particularly in the dry season (when the drink is chilled!). To be on the safe side, however, and avoid the aforementioned effects, try as much as possible to minimise both the intake of these drinks and also their contact with the teeth.

Already suffering from any of the above effects? You can reach out to any of our dentists here at Platinum Dental in Nigeria. We’d be very glad to offer you assistance in ending the nightmare caused by the harmful effects of alcoholic and soft drinks on the teeth.