Do you always listen to your dentist when they give you advice on what you should and shouldn’t be eating and drinking? Of course, everything is fine in moderation, but it’s probably something you should think about implementing in your everyday life if multiple professionals are telling you the exact same thing.
This is true for people looking for tips to take better care of their teeth, as one common item could be causing lots of damage to your smile without you realising.
Dentists at Thornley Park Dental, a family dential practice in Denton, Manchester, were all asked what one thing they would never do after working at a dentist.
The first dental worker, Masie, said she would never drink an energy drink. The person behind the camera said “They’re quite bad for you, aren’t they?” to which Masie replied “they are”.
The second worker answered the question and said: “After brushing my teeth, definitely spit and not rinse.”
What common item to dentists not recommend for good teeth health?
The third dentist, Alan, also told patients that he would also not have an energy drink.
He said: “One thing I’d never do now is drink energy drinks. So when I was a teenager I drank loads of energy drinks and I’ve got loads of damage to my teeth that I didn’t even know was happening until I qualified as a dentist and realised how much damage that causes to your teeth.”
Energy drinks are highly acidic and packed with sugar, making them incredibly damaging to teeth. The combination strips away protective enamel, leading to irreversible erosion, severe tooth sensitivity, and a significantly higher risk of cavities.
According to the NHS Fizzy drinks are the largest single source of sugar consumption for children aged 11-18, and they provide an average of 29% of daily sugar intake.
Lead dental nurse and trainer at Northumbria, Paula Darkin said any sugar on your teeth from food and drink will turn into acid and begin attacking the enamel.
Energy drinks are “doubly bad for teeth”, NHS dentist says
Ms Darkin said: “Over time, that acid eats away at the protective coating on your teeth and begins to cause cavities.
“Energy drinks are ‘doubly’ bad for teeth because these drinks have high levels of sugar and they are acidic. This means they can cause both dental decay and erosion of teeth.
“Did you know sugar-free fizz is still bad for teeth? The fizz in sugar-free drinks is still acidic, and can cause tooth erosion.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
