One very common problem that people face today is stains on their teeth, followed by issues involving tooth decay and high rates of cavities. There are so many things that contribute to stains on the teeth and in many cases people don’t always know what all of those causes are contributions are. Diet is one of the most detrimental sources of stains to your teeth, tooth decay, and regular cavities. Everything that you consume to nourish your body has an effect from the moment it entered your mouth until the moment all of the compounds have been broken down and distributed throughout your bloodstream.
The Impact of Food and Drink
When things first enter your mouth your teeth are responsible for breaking down the food or swishing around the beverage so that it travels down the esophagus properly and not off somewhere else such as into the lungs. But that means everything you drink and everything you eat comes in direct contact with all of the parts of your mouth.
If you have ever consumed tea or coffee in a clear or white ceramic mug you will notice that after you have consumed your beverage there is a residual stain on the inside of the mug. That stain is left there by the compounds in the drink. This same thing is what happens in your mouth. Whether you are drinking coffee, eating leafy greens covered in turmeric, or drinking soda, you run the risk of staining your teeth.
Why Soda Stains Your Teeth
Regular consumption of things like soda have a higher risk of staining your teeth than other drinks like juice because of the contents in the soda. In fact, the compounds used to sterilize brewing equipment for beer brewing represent a fraction of the acidic compound, phosphoric acid, that exist in a regular can of soda. Sodas have even been used to clean toilets because of their ability to eat away at certain elements in a built up inside the toilet.
To that end, if you do consume soda regardless of knowing what’s in the soda, you run the risk of staining your teeth very heavily. The problem is that most people consume sodas throughout the day, on a lunch break after their meal, in the middle of the afternoon to perk them up, and none of these are times during the day when people would stop and brush their teeth, so the staining element just sits on the teeth and continues to eat away at the enamel.
Your enamel is very important because once it goes away, it doesn’t come back. You want to do whatever you can to keep it healthy and keep that white color alive. More importantly, consuming soda leads to higher levels of tooth decay and cavities. All of the sugars and compounds that are allowed to sit on your teeth throughout the day after you have consumed the soda eat away at your teeth and cause cavities.
Drinking Through a Straw
Some people advocate consuming soda through a straw so 
that the actual compounds in the soda do not come into contact with your teeth. This is a good work around but the key is the soda cannot touch your teeth. Being able to consume a soda without it filling your mouth and contacting your teeth is a very tricky act to pull off, and in the end it is obviously easier and better for you to simply stop consuming soda. That’s not to say that this can’t be done, but it’s going to be difficult. And if you choose to reduce your soda consumption or remove it entirely, you will greatly reduce your risk of not only staining your teeth but also tooth decay and cavities for the foreseeable future. Reducing your soda intake can also improve your overall health, as you will reduce the amount of sugar, both real and artificial, that you’re consuming.
If you have questions about soda, or other dietary impacts on your teeth don’t spend too long searching around for advice. Instead, talk to the people best able to lend a hand and answer your questions: the Dental Group of Simi Valley in Simi Valley, CA.
