You might be working to straighten your teeth, but you do get cravings for sugary drinks -- maybe a carbonated soda or a cold bottled lemonade on a warm day. While you know that sugar isn't good for your braces, it can't be that big of a deal to consume a soda or other drink with sugar every once in a while. Or is it?  

Many Sugary Drinks Have Low pH

One of the biggest issues with many sugary drinks -- soda, juice, and some tea or coffee beverages -- is that they are very acidic. The low pH in the drink means that your teeth are at increased risk of decay at a time when they are more vulnerable because you can't clean them quite as easily. 

In fact, the acid in the drink can attack enamel right around where braces attach to the tooth. A single sip of a sugary drink can act as a catalyst to start the process of decay. Once the orthodontic appliance is removed, white spots or lines will remain because the area protected by a bracket for braces will be all right, but the space right next to them will show damage.

Acid in Sodas Can Weaken Teeth's Structure

Phosphoric acid that is found in dark soft drinks and citric acid in lemon-lime sodas are dangerous to tooth enamel, even at low levels

But it can also leach the calcium out of your bones and teeth over time, especially when combined with caffeine -- which is in some dark sodas like cola and some root beer. Bone mineral density in women who drank cola regularly was 5.4 percent lower in their hip area than in those women who drank less than one serving per month. Just like the acid can impact bones, it can also weaken your teeth.

Is There Any Way to Safely Consume a Sugary Drink?

Any time you introduce an acidic, sugar-based food or drink into your mouth, you risk damage to your tooth enamel. But the reality is that you most likely will have the occasional beverage that you shouldn't. Here are the steps you should take to enjoy the drink with the least destruction to your dental well-being:

  • Choose the least acidic option. Cola may have up to 10 times the ability to damage your teeth as fruit juice does. When picking a soda, root beer may have less acid than colas. Pick the least bad drink that will satisfy your cravings.
  • Always use a straw. The straw gives you the taste of the drink on your tongue but bypasses the teeth more than drinking from a glass, bottle or can.
  • Consume the drink with food. Particular foods, including cheese and yogurt, have been shown to be especially good for oral health; cheese can even raise the pH in your mouth.
  • Don't linger over the drink. Drink it and stop so that the time your teeth are in contact with the acid is minimized.
  • Rinse with plain water after your sugary drink. Dentists used to recommend that you brush as soon as possible after eating, but now there's evidence to show that brushing tooth enamel weakened by acid could do more harm than good.  
  • Brush regularly. While you shouldn't brush immediately after eating or drinking something acidic, you should maintain good oral health by brushing carefully twice a day.

If you have questions about your diet while you wear braces, or how to safely consume the occasional treat, talk to your orthodontist.

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