Summary
The average American drinks roughly 576
soft drinks every year -- about one and a half cans a day for everyone in the
United States. Drinking these beverages places the people who may not follow
proper oral hygiene techniques at a higher risk for cavities and other oral
health problems.
However, according to a report in the May/June 2005 issue of General
Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed
journal, drinking soft drinks and other beverages through a properly
positioned straw can help to minimize the risk of cavities.
The report tracked patient drinking habits and found that different
factors -- such as the frequency of sipping and the amount of time the
beverage remains in the mouth -- affect the type, location and severity of
tooth decay. For example, decay will be concentrated in the back molars of a
person who drinks directly from a can. Or, decay will be found on the teeth in
the front of the mouth in a person who drinks through a straw positioned at
the front of the mouth, right behind the lips.
"Your best option is to sip soft drinks and other beverages through a
straw positioned towards the back of the mouth," advises Mohamed A. Bassiouny,
DMD, MSc, PhD, and lead reporter. "Doing so will limit the amount of time the
beverage is in contact with the teeth."
Soft drinks contain one or more acids, commonly phosphoric and citric
acids. These acids erode dental enamel, the thin outer layer of hard tissue
that helps maintain the tooth structure and shape.
A dentist can tell when a patient gets cavities from drinking acidic
beverages, such as soft drinks, since the decayed areas are often darker in
color and takes up more space on the tooth. The cavities also often appear
near the gumline.
The AGD is a non-profit organization of more than 35,000 general dentists
dedicated to staying up-to-date in the profession through continuing
education. A general dentist is the primary care provider for patients of all
ages and is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management and overall
coordination of services related to patient's oral health needs.
SOURCE Academy of General Dentistry
Original source:
Details
Sipping soft drinks reduces risk of decay (press release)
About the author: Mike Adams is an award-winning journalist and holistic nutritionist with a passion for teaching people how to improve their health He has authored more than 1,800 articles and dozens of reports, guides and interviews on natural health topics, and he has published numerous courses on preparedness and survival, including financial preparedness, emergency food supplies, urban survival and tactical self-defense. Adams is a trusted, independent journalist who receives no money or promotional fees whatsoever to write about other companies' products. In 2010, Adams co-founded NaturalNews.com, a natural health video sharing site that has now grown in popularity. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also a successful software entrepreneur, having founded a well known email marketing software company whose technology currently powers the NaturalNews email newsletters. Adams is currently the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit, and pursues hobbies such as martial arts, Capoeira, nature macrophotography and organic gardening.
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