6 Effects of Aerated Drinks on Kids' Teeth

As conscious parents, understanding the effects of your child's food habits is very important. As children, the bright colors, the attractive ads, and of course the freebie toys always attract them to the ‘not so healthy’ sections of the supermarket. While a treat once in a while may not necessarily be bad, consuming such food and drinks regularly will have a severe effect on their overall health.

Even as adults, consumption of aerated drinks, soda etc, regularly is not a healthy choice. There are various side effects including bad dental health, associated with consuming such drinks. As kids tend to enjoy the various flavors of aerated drinks it is important to understand the kind of negative impact it can have on your kid's teeth. Here are six important ways in which aerated drinks affect your kid's good oral health.

1. Cavities

While we consciously monitor kid's chocolate intake, fearing cavities, we forget that aerated drinks also have a similar effect on the teeth. They affect the dentin layer and the composite fillings in the teeth, and damage the tooth enamel, which is the protective outer covering. This exposes the teeth to cavities. Regular consumption will lead to slow development of cavities, especially if kids do not have proper dental hygiene habits. After mastication, the residual food particles begin to accumulate over time around these exposed regions, and severe cavities might develop in such cases. A study monitored the effect of soda consumption of kids teeth over time among subjects aged four to seven. Kids who consumed lots of soda pop, juice drinks, and juice boxes had more cavities–and milk drinking did not have any effect; neither increasing nor decreasing the occurrence of cavities in these cases.

2. Enamel Damage

Most of the aerated drinks, sodas, or soft drinks contain certain forms of fructose corn syrup. This content is equal to about 10 teaspoons of sugar in a 12-ounce can. When this amount of sugar interacts with the bacteria in the mouth, it leads to the formation of acids. This acid attacks the teeth and weakens the enamel, which is the protective layer of the teeth. Each sip of soda leaves enough acid to stay on the surface for about 20 minutes, meaning a can of soda can do immense damage to your teeth. Over time the enamel gets damaged, exposing the teeth to bacterias and various other infections. There are various other acids that are also present in these drinks, which corrodes the enamel of the teeth, causing hypersensitivity. The enamel is not completely developed in kids' cases, so the effect is more intense.

3. Decay

Decay is a soft spot on the enamel of the teeth where there is a dent in the dentin or a hole on the tooth. The bacterias present in the mouth are important, and have various functions. But certain foods encourage the growth of bacteria, and excess leads to huge colonies settling on the teeth. Aerated drinks are often loaded with lots of sugar to enhance the taste. The bacteria react to sugar and produce acids, which eat away at the enamel of the tooth causing decay. This effect is proven by a study.

Source: FirstCry Parenting

4. Dehydrates the Mouth

We often observe that drinking soda causes you to feel the rush of sugar in your mouth, bit it also dehydrates it. Immediately after drinking soda the mouth does not have enough saliva, which can be extremely harmful. Having enough saliva will make sure a protective coating gets formed over the tooth to protect it from the acid formed.

5. Fuzzy Teeth

The fizz in such aerated drinks are quite attractive and fun for children to consume. But fizzy drinks loaded with acids start affecting the health of the teeth from the roots. Continuous consumption of sodas or aerated drinks means the teeth are continuously attacked by these acids. Hence, there is no time for repair or reconstruction, and this effect accumulates up to weaken the teeth from the roots. The enamel corrodes away, and the roots also become fuzzy. Procedures such as intraosseous iv might be necessary to treat severe cases.

6. Stained Teeth

There are dark compounds used in sodas or other coloring compounds that give them that popping orange, or other colors. Exposing the teeth to these compounds for long durations causes staining of the teeth. It leaves them looking dull and yellow, or in worse cases, even brown. The tooth enamel is susceptible to absorbing these compounds, which cause the stains to become stronger, and permanent. This could affect the aesthetics of the teeth, and keep your kid from flaunting a beautiful smile.

Simple Steps to Take to Avoid Tooth Damage

1. Avoid regular consumption of aerated drinks. This is good for overall health. Substitute with beverages that have less sugar, and pick natural fruit juices without added sugar.
2. While consuming, use a straw to ensure the liquid does not get in touch with the enamel to avoid damage.
3. Rinse mouth immediately after consuming sodas to flush the acid deposits from the enamel.
4. Using a fluoride-rich toothpaste can also be effective. The fluoride will protect the enamel, and strengthen it.
5. Visit your dentist regularly. Dentistry has evolved with advanced techniques and educating programs, such as Dental opioid CE, and therefore regular visits to the dentist can help eliminate any problems before they set in.

By following simple steps and proper dental hygiene you can ensure aerated drinks do not cause severe damage to your child's teeth.

Author Bio:

Ross is a blogger who loves to write, especially in the health vertical. He has written many informative blogs. He has also written blogs in other verticals too like personal development, and unique gifting blogs.