All over the world, scientists are discovering that various types of Soda, also known as Soft Drinks, are a major cause of dental erosion and loss of enamel, especially in children. Sodas such as Coke, Pepsi, and Sprite, among others contain highly acidic ingredients such as citric acid and phosphoric acid. Both phosphoric acid and citric acid have a low pH, which makes them erosive to the enamel of the teeth.




Brazilian dental researcher Dr. Carvalho Sales-Peres (1) and her colleagues at the University of Sao Paulo did one such study to find the erosive potential of soft drinks such as Coke, Pepsi, and Sprite, to name a few. They found that these drinks caused surface softening (erosion) of the enamel. The study found that the pH of the drink has more to do with erosive potential of the drink.


The more acidic the drink, the more erosive it is.

Carbonated drinks are frequently held in the mouth for long, till all the bubbles have dissipated. Thus, the contact time of the carbonated drinks with teeth is much longer than non-carbonated beverages.


The enamel of the teeth erodes due to a long exposure to a highly acidic environment created by these sodas. A Danish study led by researchers Larsen and Nyvad (2) of Royal Dental College has confirmed this fact. They found that the dissolution of enamel increased logarithmically inversely with the pH of the drink. The lower the pH of the drink, the more damage it does to the teeth.

Following are pH values of some popular soft drinks:

• Coke - 2.525
• Pepsi - 2.530
• Squirt - 2.898
• Dr.Pepper - 2.899
• 7 Up      - 3.2
• Sprite    - 3.298

Tap Water has a pH of about 7.67 which makes it slightly alkaline and safe for our teeth. Following are some interesting and scary facts about soft drink such as Coca-Cola:

• Pour Coca-Cola into the toilet bowel, let it sit for one hour and then flush clean

• You can use Coca-Cola to remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers

• Coca-Cola can loosen a rusted bolt in several minutes

• Coke can remove grease stains from clothes

• It will clean haze from your windshield

• Farmers in India have discovered that Coke and Pepsi can be sprayed on crops and function as an effective and affordable pesticide. Many farmers now claim that these soft drinks kill the bugs on their cotton plants as well as any other pesticide.

Wishing you Health, Wealth, Love and Happiness,
Pankaj Kotak


REFERENCES

1. de Carvalho Sales-Peres SH, et al. Evaluation of The Erosive Potential of Soft Drink. European Journal of Dentistry January 2007;1(1): 10–13.

2.  Larsen MJ, Nyvad B. Enamel erosion by some soft drinks and orange juices relative to their pH, buffering effect and contents of calcium phosphate. Caries Research 1999,33:81-87.