These days, demanding schedules force many people to push past their limits on a daily basis. To combat fatigue and drowsiness, a growing number now utilize energy drinks, which offer large amounts of caffeine and sugar. Unfortunately, a new study indicates that these drinks may also put our dental health at risk.
Permanent Damage
New research suggests that energy-boosting beverages may have the power to permanently damage teeth after only five days. Published in the journal General Dentistry, the research analyzed several different brands of energy drinks to evaluate how they impact human teeth. To reach their findings, the researchers soaked real human tooth enamel within each beverage for a quarter of an hour. They then placed the enamel samples within containers filled with synthetic saliva for 120 minutes. After repeating this experiment once every day for five continuous days, the researchers found that the acidic beverages caused permanent damage to each enamel sample.
A Big Problem
Interestingly, the researchers also tested several different sports drinks, including the famous Gatorade brand. Ultimately, they found that these beverages had just as negative an impact on enamel. According to the researchers, this is a disturbing revelation, since half of all American teenagers drink at least one energy-boosting beverage every 24 hours and more than six in ten consume sports drinks on a daily basis.
The Importance of Dental Check-ups
Nowadays, our teeth are exposed to a variety of acidic, sugary beverages and foods which can damage our enamel and leave us susceptible to serious dental issues than can demand expensive restorative dental procedures.
To prevent these problems, it’s critical to catch small issues before they become significant problems. The American Dental Association suggests that even the healthiest people maintain regular six-month dental check-ups to look for potential problems, such as gum disease, cavities and other issues that could go unnoticed. To make sure your teeth remain healthy and attractive, contact Dr. Dunayer to schedule an appointment.
