If sipping flavored water keeps you going throughout the
day, I am sorry to burst your bubble. I know you are trying to do the right
thing, staying hydrated and avoiding sugar and additives from sodas and other
soft drinks. And the variety of fun new flavors on the market make otherwise
boring water exciting to drink. If you are hooked, you are not alone.
Sales of LaCroix water, for example, with
its splashy packaging and playful flavors such as tangerine and coconut, have more than doubled in the
past two years, the Wall Street Journal reported. There has also been an explosion
of tasty still waters, with enticing flavors such as strawberry-kiwi,
watermelon and raspberry. But the hard truth is that drinking too much flavored
water — sparkling or still — could do serious damage to your teeth.
The problem is that these drinks’ flavor essences, mostly
citric and other fruit acids, cause significant tooth erosion — “the
incremental dissolving away of the enamel on the teeth, which, over time, can
affect their structural integrity, making them hypersensitive to temperature
and potentially more cavity-prone,” explains Edmond R. Hewlett, consumer
adviser for the American Dental Association and professor at the UCLA School of
Dentistry.
A beverage’s pH is the main determinant of its potential
to erode teeth. Anything with a pH less than 4 is considered a threat to dental
health; the lower the pH, the more acidic a drink is, and the more harmful.
Regular tap water typically has a pH between 6 and 8.
Carbonating that (which is adding carbonic acid) lowers
its pH to about 5. (Happily, that is well in the tooth-safe zone, so you can go
ahead and drink your plain sparkling water without worry.) The trouble starts
when flavors are added, and the citric acid commonly used in bottled flavored
waters is considered especially insidious because besides lowering pH it also
may remove calcium from the teeth. A 2016 report published in the Journal of
the American Dental Association found that un-carbonated flavored waters such
as grape, lemon or strawberry Dasani had a pH of 3, only somewhat better than
RC Cola and Coca-Cola, which were among the most acidic tested, at 2.32 and
2.37 respectively (and which are close to the pH 2.25 of pure lemon juice). On
its website, the brand Hint says the pH of its waters range from 3.5 to 4.
When you add carbonation to flavored water, you get a
one-two punch of acidity. A 2007 study in the International
Journal of Paediatric Dentistry concluded that flavored sparkling waters, some
with a pH as low as 2.7, have the same corrosive potential as orange juice.
That’s not to say that either of those drinks are bad choices for your overall
health; they are just, in excess, potentially detrimental to your teeth. It’s
also worth noting that for those concerned about their body’s overall acid-base
balance as it relates to health, just because flavored waters are acidic, it
does not mean they make your body more acidic. Many foods and drinks, such as
tomatoes and orange juice, for example, are acidic themselves but have an
overall alkaline effect once metabolized.
Although the news of the effect on your pearly whites
might mean the end of the honeymoon phase between you and your beloved flavored
water, it doesn’t have to mean divorce. Flavored water is still way better to
drink than soda, which is not only more erosive but
also has unhealthy amounts of sugar and empty calories. Instead of taking an
all-or-nothing approach, consider these strategies to have your otherwise healthful
flavored water in a way that minimizes dental damage.
1.
Don’t drink it all the time
Enjoying a sparkling mango water now and again isn’t an
issue. “It’s frequent, regular consumption that can be dangerous to our teeth,”
Hewlett says. “The problem is when people drink these beverages instead of
plain water as their main hydration. The best beverage you can drink is plain
fluoridated water.” So sip regular water or plain carbonated water to stay
hydrated throughout the day, and save the flavored stuff for an occasional
treat.
2.
Minimize contact with teeth
The faster you drink a beverage, the less contact it has
with your teeth and the more time saliva is allowed to do its job neutralizing
the acid in your mouth and returning it to the proper pH. If you are slowly
sipping throughout the day, you are maintaining a consistent and undesirably
high acid level. So drink up, then be done with it. And contrary to what you
might suspect, “brushing your teeth right after may accelerate the loss of
enamel,” Hewlett says, so don’t do that.
3.
Drink it with a meal or snack
Eating stimulates the flow of acid-neutralizing saliva,
so save that bottle of strawberry-kiwi water to drink along with a meal or
snack to dilute the acid effect.
4.
Don’t be a swisher
“There is a habit a lot of people have: holding or
swishing carbonated water in their mouth. This can exacerbate the issue,”
Hewlett says. And although there are no studies to confirm this, he says, it
makes sense that using a straw may help minimize exposure. It couldn’t hurt.
5.
USE FOREVER BRIGHT
TOOTH GEL EVERYDAY
Aloe toothgel formulated
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toothpaste contains
only the highest quality ingredients. It is also suitable for vegetarians since
it contains no animal by-products. Natural peppermint and spearmint flavorings
leave your mouth feeling fresh and clean.
·
Aloe Vera toothpaste contains Bee
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·
Forever Bright toothpaste formulated for the
entire family
·
Aloe toothgel does not contain fluoride
