Did you know what you drink can affect your dental health? You would be surprised how often your drinking habits impact your mouth and overall health.

To preserve that perfect smile, you must choose the right drink. However, the options are not as easy as you would think.

Luckily, this article will help you determine which drinks are best for oral care and which ones to avoid.

What Are the Worst Drinks for Your Teeth?

Beverages with high sugar content or acidity are harmful to your teeth. Though you want to indulge in the sweetness of these drinks, it is always advisable to avoid regular consumption.

Sugar-added or flavored drinks are one of the most common beverages that reduce oral health. The high sugar content can increase the number of harmful bacteria in your mouth, leading to plaque buildup and cavities.

In addition, acid drinks that have a pH level of less than 5.5 can hurt your teeth. Low pH levels dissolve your enamel and deplete minerals from your teeth, leading to enamel erosion.

Flavored beverages also contain dyes that can stain your teeth after prolonged drinking.

Colas and Soda

It is time to slow down if you regularly enjoy colas on hot summer days.

Carbonated drinks like sodas and colas have a lower pH level of about 2.3 to 5.2, which makes them acidic. These high acidic levels can easily dissolve your enamel, making your teeth soft and weak.

Furthermore, sodas and colas also have a high sugar content that can enhance plaque formation in your mouth. Bacteria can freely multiply, leading to tooth cavities and other dental issues.

Fruit Juice

Though fruits are an excellent source of minerals and vitamins, fruit juice drinks are not as good for your teeth.

The fiber is extracted from the fruit during processing, adding extra sugars and additives. The added sugar triggers plaque formation, which leads to tooth decay. In addition, citric fruit juices have a high acid level that can cause enamel erosion.

Coffee

Is coffee good for your teeth? Sadly, the answer is NO!

Coffee is known for staining your teeth– that enticing dark color easily sticks to the teeth’s enamel. As it builds up over time, you will notice some discoloration. Likewise, adding sugars and sweeteners also lowers the pH level of your drink, making it more acidic.

However, if you still want your morning coffee, we recommend avoiding sweeteners and using a straw. This will help reduce the adverse effects of a daily cup on your teeth.

Colored Liquor, Cocktails, and Wine

Colored liquor and red wine have strong dyes that can stain your teeth. Drinks like cocktails and wine also have high sugar content and acids that are not good for oral health.

Likewise, alcohol is well known to dehydrate your body. This reduces saliva production, which helps neutralize and clean your mouth. Without good saliva production, bacteria can quickly multiply, leading to bad breath and enamel erosion.

Energy and Diet Drinks

Drinking diet and energy beverages have become a daily routine for many people. However, these beverages do harm your teeth.

Energy and diet drinks have a high sugar content that can lead to plaque buildup in your mouth. Additionally, diet and energy beverages also have a high acidic content which can cause enamel erosion if taken regularly.

What Are the Best Drinks for Your Teeth?

Water

Drinking a lot of water is not only good for your overall health but also for your teeth. Water is crucial in helping clean your mouth and removing plaque and bacteria between your teeth. In addition, water also helps reduce the acidity in your mouth, reducing mineral loss and enamel erosion.

Milk

Milk is another good drink that improves your teeth’s health. Drinking milk is a sure way to protect your teeth’s enamel and keep them strong.

Milk is rich in calcium, proteins, potassium, vitamins, and phosphorus, all essential to enhancing dental and overall health. These minerals and vitamins help maintain your teeth’s strength and help them last longer. Likewise, the minerals help fight tooth decay.

Furthermore, calcium and phosphorus are crucial in bone development, including your teeth and jaw. Drinking milk helps enhance your jaw bone, which is ideal for chewing harder foods like nuts and sugarcane.

Sparkling Water

It should not be a problem if you like drinking fizzy water occasionally.

There is a lot of debate on how carbonated drinks affect oral health due to their lower pH level. However, unflavored fizzy water has a higher pH than other carbonated drinks, meaning it is easier on your teeth.

It is worth noting that flavored or sugar-added water increases the acidity of the water, which can lead to enamel erosion.

Coconut Water

Coconut water is also an excellent way to spice up your hydration game if you are tired of regular water.

The drink is rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, and vitamins which are essential in protecting your oral health. Furthermore, coconut water is also packed with antioxidants and electrolytes, making it an ideal alternative to energy and sports drinks.

Black Tea

Black tea is a suitable replacement for tea or coffee enthusiasts. Unlike sweetened tea, black tea has a higher pH level which does not erode your teeth. In addition, you also get your dose of antioxidants without compromising your dental health.

However, it is worth noting that regular drinking of black tea can stain your teeth. So, remember to limit your intake.

Light Beer and Clear Liquor

As stated before, alcohol is unsuitable for your teeth. However, light beer and clear liquor are some excellent alternatives to drinking colored alcohol.
Light beer has high water content, making it less acidic than other liquors. Furthermore, the high-water content is also ideal for cleaning your mouth and killing bacteria that cause bad breath. In addition, clear liquor does not have any added coloring that can stain your teeth.

Ready to get your smile back? Contact All About Smile Dental Group for the best oral practices to enhance your dental health.