Soda is one of America’s favorite vices – up to half of the American population has a sugary drink once a day, and the majority of them choose soda. However, if you’re asking yourself, “should I give up soda?” then the answer should be a resounding yes. Soda can be incredibly harmful to both your teeth and the rest of your body, and giving it up would do wonders for your health. Here’s a quick rundown on how soda affects you.
Effects of Soda on Teeth
Drinking soda has two main effects on your teeth – enamel erosion and cavities. As you take a drink of soda, the acids in the soft drink are left behind on your teeth. From there, they start to eat away at your enamel – the hard coating that covers your teeth and protects them from damage. If your enamel is stripped away, it can’t grow back, so protecting it is incredibly important. Soda can also cause more severe damage to your teeth. The sugars and acids in soft drinks can penetrate the enamel and invite cavities in the softer material underneath. Cavities are extremely common in regular soda drinkers and often require fillings or other dental work to fix.
Effects of Soda on the Body
The main side effect of drinking soda on the rest of your body is fat build-up. Soda is extremely high in sugar, which directly contributes to the build-up of fat in your body. Even worse, studies have shown that soft drinks are more likely to cause fat to build up around your organs instead of just under the skin. That means that it can be damaging your body without any obvious visible effects.
If you’re looking for other ways to improve your oral health, or you’d like to set up an appointment, contact Crossroads Family Dentistry. We’re happy to help!