A glass full of cola equals a mouth full of cavities

Study suggests drinking fizzy drinks can be as bad for teeth as drug consumption.

KARACHI: How often do you find it difficult to gulp down that cheeseburger without a sip of that bubbling drink? Fizzy drinks have become a staple in our lives and we just cannot think about holding dinners without stashing some bottles of chilled cola to serve guests. In various advertisements that flash on our television screens, fizzy drinks are portrayed as an epitome of family bonding — siblings and parents lovingly passing over glasses brimming with carbonated drinks.

From dinner tables to billboards stretched across cities — fizzy drinks are everywhere. We see film celebrities, cricket icons and singers endorsing different fizzy drink brands. However, the question to ask yourself is: Does celebrity loyalty trump oral health?

Although in the past, there have been studies proving that fizzy drinks are harmful to not only your teeth but your waistline, too, a new study indicates that they are as bad for your teeth as drugs. The study is based on the experience of a woman in her 30s who drank two litres of diet fizzy drinks daily for three to five years and experienced tooth decay similar to that suffered by a 29-year-old crystal meth addict and a 51-year-old habitual crack cocaine user, reports femalefirst.co.uk.



“The key part of this research is the fact the damage was caused by frequent consumption of fizzy drinks,” said Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation. Carter pointed out that frequent consumption of sugary drinks is unhealthy for the mouth. “Each time we eat or drink anything sugary, our teeth are under attack for up to one hour. Saliva plays a major role in neutralising acid in the mouth and it takes up to an hour for that to happen.”

In accordance with Carter’s statement, Karachi-based dentist Dr Saher Muneeb Alam told The Express Tribune that there are a number of damages that carbonated drinks can cause to teeth. “Erosion and demineralisation of the enamel are just two damages these drinks cause to begin with,” she said, adding that fizzy drinks also cause cavitation and staining of teeth.

“Fizzy drinks destroy the outermost layer of teeth, causing the food you intake to stain your teeth,” added the dentist. “These drinks have the same side effects as tobacco or any other drug would have.”

Since fizzy drinks are high in sugar content, consuming them regularly may lead to permanent tooth decay. “If sugary items are constantly being consumed, the mouth is constantly under attack and does not get the chance to recover,” explained Carter, adding that the increase in consumption of sugary drinks is one of the key reasons for dental decay, particularly in children.

So before picking up another glass full of that bubbly, coloured water, think to yourself if the taste is really worth the decay.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2013.                                                                                           

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