Dr. Bryan Dryden
Family Dentistry

Dental Health Care Information

Sugar and tooth decay

Eating patterns and food choices among children and teens (as well as) adults are important factors that affect how quickly youngsters may develop tooth decay. A sticky film of bacteria, called "plaque," that constantly forms on the teeth and gums each and every time bacteria come in contact with sugar or starch in the mouth. Consequntly acid is produced, which attacks the teeth for 20 minutes or more. This eventually can result in tooth decay.

The USDA's Dietary Guidelines encourage consumers to limit intake of beverages and food high in added sugars that may crowd out other healthy foods from their daily diet. The agency identifies soft drinks as a major source of added sugar.

Americans drank more than 53 gallons of soft drinks - per person - in 2000. This amount surpassed all other beverages including milk, beer, coffee and water. One of every four beverages consumed in America today is a soft drink. It is clear that soft drinks have displaced nutritious beverages and foods from the diet.

Did you know that some non-diet soft drinks contain as many as 11 teaspoons of sugar per serving? Although there are few studies reported in scientific literature that specifically evaluate the role of soft drinks in the development of tooth decay, increased sugar in the diet increases the risk of decay. There is a positive association between consumption, especially heavy consumption, of sugar-containing soft drinks and risk of developing tooth decay, according to published studies.

Most soft drinks contain phosphoric acid and citric acid. Prolonged exposure to acids can do permanent damage to teeth by producing a condition called "erosion," or loss of hard tissues from the tooth surface. It is widely accepted that acid in food and beverages plays a major role in the development of enamel erosion. Diet soft drinks rely on non-nutritive sweeteners instead of sugar. They also are acidic and may increase the risk of experiencing enamel erosion, although the research on the role of soft drinks and tooth erosion is preliminary.

JADA, Vol. 133. April 2002