Sugary Drinks

Sugary drinks include any sweetened beverage:

• Non-diet soft drinks
• Energy drinks
• Sports drinks
• Fruit juices/drinks
• Cordial
• Sweetened tea
• Rice drinks
• Sugar cane and bean beverages

Sugary drinks contain not only high levels of sugar, but may also have high levels of acid. The combination of sugar and acid can contribute significantly to tooth decay and erosion of tooth structure. Marketers will have us believe that the diet option may be better for your teeth; however, these drinks are often just as acidic as the non-diet option. Sports drinks and energy drinks are not only sugary and acidic, but they also often contain caffeine, which has a drying effect in the mouth, and ultimately affects the acid buffering capacity of saliva. Furthermore, they are often consumed when salivary flow is at its lowest during physical activity.

Obviously, plain boring old water is best, however having these sugary drinks at meal times and with a straw is beneficial to reduce the adverse effects on your teeth.