Pop! Fizz! Yum! Everyone likes to enjoy a fizzy drink once in a while. The crisp bubbles and sweet flavor of soda makes it a refreshing drink. Unfortunately, drinking carbonated beverages isn’t great for your oral health — especially if you have braces in Canfield. Need convincing? Here is a brief explanation of why soda is bad for your orthodontic treatment
Soda Is Highly Acidic
When manufacturers shoot air into their drinks to infuse them with that fizzy texture we all love, the liquid automatically becomes more acidic. All carbonated drinks have a lower pH than flat drinks like water and milk, but soda is even more acidic than other fizzy beverages, such as seltzer water.
Drinking too much soda while you’re wearing your braces could stain the brackets of your orthodontic treatment, but that isn’t the only problem. Your precious tooth enamel is vulnerable to acid attacks. When you sip on soda, you greatly increase the chances that you’ll suffer from tooth decay and cavities.
Soda’s High Sugar Content
Regular soda delivers a double whammy — acid and sugar. Sugar is one of the worst things for your teeth since it interacts with the bacteria in your mouth, leading to plaque and tooth decay. Because braces make cleaning your teeth a little tricky, you might not always get rid of all that plaque when you’re brushing, especially if you’re just getting used to your orthodontics. You don’t want to risk that your sugary drink habit will cause you to have some brand new holes in your pearly whites.
Is It Ever Okay to Drink Soda?
Sometimes, you might get desperate for a soda fix, and that’s okay. While soda is never recommended for people who wear braces — or for anyone else, for that matter — your oral health isn’t doomed if you indulge once in a while.
When you open the tab of that can of fizzy goodness, plop a straw into it. Sipping through a straw will minimize the amount of contact that the liquid has with your teeth and braces, reducing the chances that you’ll harm them. About a half-hour to an hour after you finish your drink, break out your toothbrush and clean your teeth so you can vanquish any lingering sugar and plaque in your mouth.
What Should I Drink While I’m Wearing Braces?
The best beverages you can choose while you’re wearing braces are plain, flat water and milk. These aren’t acidic, and they have oral health benefits. The water helps to rinse away bacteria and keep up your saliva production. Milk is rich in calcium and can help to fortify your teeth.
If you’re craving something sweet, you might try flat flavored water. It may still have a bit of acidic in it, especially if any form of fruit was used to give it its taste, but it’s still preferable to soda and other beverages that are loaded with sugar and carbonation.
Saying “no thanks” to soda while you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment can save your teeth from plaque and decay. A little self-control goes a long way toward a healthy smile!
About the Orthodontist
Dr. Marissa Mikolich is your orthodontist in Canfield. She wants everyone to have straight, healthy teeth. If you have questions about orthodontics and how to care for your smile during your treatment, please contact us at 330-967-4110.