Beverages that are Bad for Your Teeth

When it comes to your daily diet, you know what’s good for you and what’s not. You know you should be eating more fruits and vegetables, and you know you shouldn’t have bought the chocolate that you are going to hide and eat later. While you may know what foods you should avoid, whether you do or not, you may not understand what drinks should also be adding to the “no-list.”

Sweetened Coffee/Tea
It’s not uncommon to meet someone who doesn’t feel like themselves in the morning without their coffee. Coffee, with its rich flavor and caffeine, wakes people up and prepares them to start their morning. Likewise, many people feel this way about tea. While coffee and tea alone aren’t bad for your teeth, they are when you add sweetener. Whether you like your coffee with cream or your tea with honey, sweeteners are bad for your teeth. Sweeteners load up your drink with sugar that works to damage your teeth by breaking down the enamel and leaving you susceptible to cavities.

Soda
Soda makes a great pair with some food combinations…for example, pizza and rootbeer, popcorn and Coke, or Sprite and crackers. Many people get tired of the seemingly flavorless taste of water and try to mix it up by drinking a soda. Even though it pairs perfectly with some foods, soda is still bad for your teeth—even if it is diet. The acidity in the soda will eat away at your enamel and the sugar content will increase your risk of cavities. Try to only drink soda in moderation.

Juice
Nothing completes a brunch like an assortment of fruit juices to sip while you eat your waffles, eggs benedict, or avocado toast. Since fruit juice is made from apples, oranges, cranberries, and other fruits, many people are fooled into believing that it is healthy. Unfortunately, since these juices are concentrated, they develop a lower pH due to the acid they contain. If you want to lessen the damage of fruit juice, dilute it with some water.

Wine
After a long day, sometimes all you want to do is cuddle up with a big glass of wine and not think about anything…especially not your teeth. Many people know that wine can leave stains on your teeth so they avoid red wines. However, due to its acidity, white wine is more likely to damage your enamel and leave your teeth vulnerable to stains.

Sparkling Water
Sometimes water just sounds boring, but because it’s healthy people keep on drinking it. Sparkling water tricks people into drinking it because it has the healthy appeal of water with the flavor and carbonation of soda. However, like wine and juice, it has a low pH level which makes it sneakily destructive on your teeth.

It can be nice to mix up your drink choices for new flavors, but when it comes to your teeth health, it’s better to stick with water. Other good choices are milk or herbal tea, without sweeteners, of course—and no, chocolate milk does not count. If your teeth have been sensitive or staining lately, lay off the items on this list. Otherwise, keep your acidic or sugary drinks to a minimum and don’t spend all day sipping them. That will only leave your teeth exposed to sugar and acid for a longer amount of time.