How often do you sip these drinks?

While many of us may be aware of the types of foods our smiles appreciate (and aren’t fond of), we thought we’d focus on drinks this time around! That’s right – let’s talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to beverages and oral health.

Without further adieu, here’s our list:

The Good:

1. Milk

Milk is an excellent beverage for your teeth, as it helps to neutralize acidity in the mouth, helping to prevent tooth decay. It also contains vital nutrients like calcium and phosphorus, which our teeth absolutely love.

2. Water

Water is (clearly) another smile-friendly beverage that is helpful for washing away particles of food from the teeth, creating a less acidic oral environment, and if it contains fluoride, strengthening the teeth.

***A tip from our Toronto dentist: after eating or drinking anything high in acid or sugar, swish water or milk around in your mouth to help protect your smile from the damaging effects.

The Bad:

1. Tea

Teas in general aren’t the worst beverage for your smile, but certain teas with a lower pH, such as lemon tea, does have the ability to erode the enamel. And if you’re an avid tea drinker… the minimal damage can accumulate over time.

2. Wine

Some wines contain relatively high acidity levels in the mid -3 pH number range. But we wouldn’t list wine as being all that terrible for your smile – in fact, studies have shown certain chemicals in red wine to have a preventive effect on the specific bacteria that is notorious for causing tooth decay.

The Ugly:

1. Sports Drinks

Sports drinks are some of the worst beverages for your teeth. Top brands like Powerade and Gatorade contain a pH lower than 3, combined with a high sugar content.

2. Sodas / Pop

Sweet and bubbly colas such as Coca Cola, Pepsi and Dr. Pepper have pH levels in the 2.5 range, as well as ridiculously high levels of sugar.

3. Fruit juices

Fruit juices contain high levels of sugar and acid – with cranberry being the most acidic with its pH of 2.6. Apple and orange juice are follow up. Citric fruit juices such as lemon juice have extremely low pH levels as well, with a pH of about 2.0! When it comes to your teeth, this is a rather scary number.

So…there’s the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to drinks and your teeth! We hope this has inspired you to limit your intake of certain beverages, or change the way you consume them for the better of your smile.

Happy Sipping!