A dentistry expert has said a common drinking habit could be causing teeth to erode.
Unlike potential damage from a chocolate bar to yourself, a bag of sugary sweets or even a fizzy drink, an expert believes the problem could come from something some people do everyday. He believes that sipping on a drink can in fact cause major damage to your teeth.
New York based dentist Dr Dante Devoti has made the revelation, which may come as a surprise to some people, MailOnline reports. The Dr points to the levels of salvia in your mouth as a potential cause of the issue.
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He said: "Tooth enamel is the hardest mineralized substance in your body. Acid is one of the top causes for tooth erosion – it breaks down and weakens the hard enamel which coats your teeth.
'But prolonged exposure to acid — especially acidic liquids — can cause teeth to demineralize, erode."
Due to this, he said your molars, canines and incisors are more susceptible to cavities. Dr Devoti works at Columbia University's College of Dental Medicine and explains saliva is actually one of the things which can help neutralise the acidity.
But, this process can take a while, up to an hour to get those pH levels in your mouth to neutralise, he reveals. When you regularly sip the same drink, saliva doesn't have time to raise the pH (low numbers indicate more acidic). Seven is neutral.
He added: "Drinking one cup of coffee, tea, juice, or other drink in a single sitting is better for your teeth than sipping one cup throughout the entire day."
Similar logic on sipping would apply to alcohol and sports drinks. But fizzy carbonated drinks are the worst, Dr Devoti said.
Writing on the university’s website, he said: "Drinking soda is essentially a sugary acid bath for the teeth. Not only does the sugar lower the pH level, but it is also a food source for harmful bacteria which 'creates a cycle of destruction to your teeth'."
In the UK, around 50 per cent of four to 18-year-olds have some tooth erosion and around three quarters of all Brits do not have a full set of natural teeth. Dr Devoti, an assistant professor of dental medicine, said: "When there’s repeated, long exposures, almost all food and drink can be considered harmful to teeth.
"Good oral habits go beyond brushing and flossing to recognising how eating and drinking habits, such as frequently snacking or sipping on beverages throughout the day, can be equally impactful on the health of our teeth."
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