SHOCK VALUE xenia ohio dentist

The saying goes “A picture is worth 1000 words.”  That is definitely true in this case as evidenced by the pictures below.   Believe it or not, the topic of this blog is Diet Soda.  As in, it can be bad for your teeth…very bad.

image credit – theatlantic.com

Diet Soda is a highly acidic beverage that can actually erode dental enamel, leaving teeth vulnerable to decay.  In a recent issue of General Dentistry,  the Academy of General Dentistry’s peer-reviewed journal, researchers illustrated a shocking discovery:  Drinking large quantities of soda can be as damaging to teeth as using illegal drugs.  If this sounds hard to believe, have a look at the pictures below.  In the study, patients were examined at dental clinics in Philadelphia and Appalachia over the course of two decades.  A striking similarity was found between the teeth of patients who consumed large quantities of soda and those who used methamphetamine or crack cocaine.  The article compared the damage in three individuals’ mouths:  An admitted user of methamphetamine, a previous longtime user of cocaine, and a woman who drank two liters of diet coke a day.  Each person experienced severe tooth erosion caused by the high acid levels present in their “drug” of choice – meth, crack, or soda.  It was noted that a person doesn’t even need to consume as much as two liters of soda per day to damage their teeth, as the effect of soda-drinking is cumulative.  Even those who drink more than one regular sized 12-ounce soda per day are at risk of dental erosion.  The incredible similarities found in this study should be a wake-up call to consumers who think that soda – even diet soda – is not harmful to their oral health.  (reprinted in part from www.deardoctor.com/articles/  5/1/2013)

image credit: stopyouraddiction.com

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