Acidity was a concept taught in grade school general science. There is a PH scale ranging from 1 to 7 and anything that measures less than 4 on that scale is known to be acidic in nature. Additionally, an item with acidic properties will be corrosive and may cause damage over time.
The same concept applies to acidic drinks. They not only bring about an acid reflux in the stomach which can case heart burn, but their most damaging effects are seen with regards to teeth. Acidic drinks are known to have very damaging and destructive consequences for your teeth making your pearly whites become pale, stained, or worse, corroded. Here are some facts about acidic drinks and some examples which will help you stay away from these so that you can protect your teeth and have a healthy smile along with a healthy body.
Research has shown that drinks which may seem innocent such as flavored teas, fruit juices and energy drinks have also started to contain high levels of acid. This causes your healthy and normal teeth to shrink into yellow stubs that are marred with stains and eroded areas. Scientists have stated that drinking fluorescent-colored sports drinks, carbonated beverages and citric fruit juices fills your mouth with acid and soaks the teeth with it too. This constant exposure to harsh acid causes the hard and protective enamel to become worn out. This starts breaking away slowly and gradually and the whole tooth might become eroded due to this. Dr. Bassiouny, a professor of restorative dentistry stated that, "We all became aware of the sugar on your teeth. What most of us don't know is the acid, cavities form when bacteria in the mouth mix with sugar, leading to decay. Erosion occurs when chemicals strip the mineral off the teeth. The seriousness of the erosion is far more than decay; erosion affects all teeth at once, as you can imagine acidic fluid is running through the entire mouth."
All of this erosion can cause teeth to become discolored or even cracked. There are many cases in which people had to be fitted with dentures because acidic drinks had left their mouth in such bad shape. Research carried out in Europe has linked acidic drinks to be the highest factor contributing to tooth erosion, even more than diseases like bulimia which cause acid to be secreted in the stomach.
