Does diet soda ruin your teeth in the long run?

Soft drinks, which contain sticky sugars that break down into acids, adhere easily to tooth surfaces. These acids can soften the teeth and promote formation of plaque, which erodes the enamel. Enamel breakdown leads to cavities. If erosion spreads beneath the enamel into the dentin, pain and sensitivity may result. read more

The time it takes you to finish a soda can increase or decrease the total damage done to your teeth, according to Dr. Laura Palmer of the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. It only takes 20 seconds for bacteria to produce acid but the effects can last for up to 30 minutes. read more

Soft drinks, on the other hand, can also affect the next layer, dentin, and even composite fillings. This damage to your tooth enamel can invite cavities. Cavities, or caries, develop over time in people who drink soft drinks regularly. Add in poor oral hygiene, and a lot of damage can occur to the teeth. read more

Diet soda can have the same effect on your tooth enamel as methamphetamine or crack cocaine use -- and it's not pretty. In a three-person case study published in the March/April 2013 issue of the journal General Dentistry, Dr. Mohamed Bassiouny studied the teeth of a diet soda drinker and two drug addicts and found similar dental erosion among all three. read more

Sodas with high sugar content pack a one-two punch; first they weaken the enamel and then the high sugar content in the soda can easily penetrate into the tooth. Diet sodas weaken tooth enamel, allowing bacteria from other foods to easily damage the tooth. Teeth look different when the enamel is damaged. read more

As we discussed last week, not only do sodas have acids in solution, but sugary sodas will provide bacteria with food to make more acids. The acids in the soda only really affect your teeth while in contact, but sugars can give bacteria food to produce acids for long after you have stopped drinking the soda. read more