Drink Aware!

Carrying a bottle in the present heatwave could be one of the serious tooth decay causes

We’ve noticed it and no doubt you too will have, just how many people now walk around carrying a drinks bottle. Nothing wrong with that you may think – especially bearing in mind the surprising length of time that the present heatwave has lasted. Quite right, but as one of the region’s leading dental practices we cannot help but notice that so many, the majority of people in fact, don’t just have a bottle of still water… instead they almost inevitably carry a bottle of sweet, fizzy drink. Which, speaking as Dentist Manchester, is one of today’s leading tooth decay causes!We know that we’ve said it before, but sweet, fizzy drinks represent such a serious dental threat and have been proved over and over again to be one of today’s major tooth decay causes that we truly believe that it is worth repeating again.So Drink Aware, whilst it may be associated with alcoholic drink and health, we believe it still provides an appropriate warning of the threat that these popular sugary, fizzy drinks pose to people’s teeth, especially children’s and young people’s teeth. It is not just the considerable amount of sugar contained in the drinks, but also the amount of carbon dioxide that is added to provide the fizz.These drinks may feel refreshing, but firstly the sugar, which is just one of the tooth decay causes, will linger on the teeth. This is especially true if the drinker takes regular sips over a prolonged period (which is what most people do). The sticky sugar will readily attack the enamel that is there to protect the teeth and if it becomes weak or is destroyed then damage to the inner parts of the teeth leading to tooth decay will rapidly follow.Sugar is just one of these drinks tooth decay causes. The other is the fizz that is produced by the injection of carbon dioxide. The problem is that when carbon dioxide is combined with sugar it creates a chemical reaction that produces carbonic acid. And if that sounds serious … it is. Carbonic acid can very quickly damage and destroy tooth enamel meaning that it is one of today’s major tooth decay causes.What is our advice? Well firstly if you feel the need to carry a drink with you then please choose unsweetened, still (not fizzy) water. This will give you the hydration you need without the risk of damage to your teeth.Secondly, we always advise that you make regular dental check-up appointments so that your dentist can keep a close eye on the condition of your teeth. And thirdly please take note of our cleaning advice and brush your teeth twice a day – morning and night. So do enjoy the lovely sunny weather, keep cool and keep taking plenty of liquids … just don’t choose sugary, fizzy drinks!If you would like any further preventative dentistry advice please do not hesitate to contact us. You can call us on 0161 951 7295 or you can contact us by using the online booking form on our Appointments page.