Soft Drinks Can Cause Permanent Damage to Teeth

A recent study conducted by the researchers at the University of Adelaide in Australia, holds that drinks that are high in acidity can be harmful for children's teeth. The acid present in soft drinks, fruit juices and other sugary and aerated drinks can cause permanent damage to their teeth. Dental researchers call it the 'high acidity triple threat' that can have long-term effects on growing children. Besides this, tooth grinding and acidic reflux can also affect dental health.

The study was published in the Journal of Dentistry and is the first of its kind to demonstrate the lifelong damage that can be caused by acidity to the teeth within the first 30 seconds of acid attack.

                                          
"Often, children and adolescents grind their teeth at night, and they can have undiagnosed regurgitation or reflux, which brings with it acidity from the stomach," said Sarbin Ranjitkar from University of Adelaide, Australia. "Combined with drinks high in acidity, this creates a triple threat to young people's teeth which can cause long-term damage," Ranjitkar explained.

Researchers explained that a balance needs to be maintained between acids and host protection in our mouth. Once the balance shifts in favour of acids, irrespective of the type, negative effects are bound to occur.
The research suggests that permanent damage to the tooth enamel can be caused within the first 30 seconds of consuming an acidic soft drink. Most of us would think that cleaning our teeth could protect them but we fail to understand that the damage is already done, the researchers noted. Dental erosion is one of the major concerns and the day to day consumption of such drinks can lead to irreversible damage to teeth. In most cases, it is detected after substantial wear and tear has already occurred. The findings suggest that such drinks are best avoided. It recommends that while fresh fruits are also acidic, they are still a healthier option.
Inputs from IANS