Don't let soft drinks touch your teeth: use a straw to avoid tooth decay (press release)

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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
About the author: Mike Adams is a consumer health advocate with a strong interest in personal health, the environment and the power of nature to help us all heal He has authored and published thousands of articles, interviews, consumers guides, and books on topics like health and the environment, reaching millions of readers with information that is saving lives and improving personal health around the world. Adams is an independent journalist with strong ethics who does not get paid to write articles about any product or company. In 2007, Adams launched EcoLEDs, a maker of energy efficient LED lights that greatly reduce CO2 emissions. He also launched an online retailer of environmentally-friendly products (BetterLifeGoods.com) and uses a portion of its profits to help fund non-profit endeavors. He's also the founder and CEO of a well known email mail merge software developer whose software, 'Email Marketing Director,' currently runs the NaturalNews email subscriptions. Adams also serves as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a non-profit consumer protection group, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and adult gymnastics.


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