{"id":209,"date":"2016-04-01T13:35:33","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T13:35:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.gcuomodds.com\/?p=209"},"modified":"2016-12-22T20:03:52","modified_gmt":"2016-12-22T20:03:52","slug":"yes-sugar-free-sodas-and-snacks-still-hurt-your-teeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gcuomodds.com\/blog\/2016\/04\/01\/yes-sugar-free-sodas-and-snacks-still-hurt-your-teeth\/","title":{"rendered":"Yes, Sugar Free Sodas and Snacks Still Hurt Your Teeth"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"sugar<\/a>One of our team members came across <\/span>this fascinating article<\/span><\/a> the other day, and it got us thinking. Most people don\u2019t consider the link between sugar free drinks, candies and other treats and tooth decay and damage, but they really should. It\u2019s easy to feel like these \u201csugar free\u201d products give us a free pass, that we can consume as many as we want, whenever we want. They\u2019re zero calories, after all. As it turns out, that\u2019s not really the case — and actually, these products can be really damaging to your oral health.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cSugar Free\u201d Not All It\u2019s Cracked Up To Be<\/span><\/h3>\n

The original study<\/span><\/a> came out of the University of Melbourne\u2019s Oral Health Cooperative Research Centre, and it found that sugar-free foods and beverages can cause a significant amount of tooth decay and enamel erosion. How can that be, though? It all comes down to what has been used to create that sweet flavor after the sugar is removed — namely, substances like citric acid and phosphoric acid. <\/span><\/p>\n

Researchers found that consumption of diet soda (like, ahem, Diet Coke) led to tooth enamel that was softened by 30 to 50 percent. That\u2019s because when combined to produce a specific flavor (often used for tanginess), substances like citric and phosphoric acids react — and the result of this reaction is serious erosion. Unfortunately, once enamel is gone, you can\u2019t get it back. In serious cases of erosion, all enamel is dissolved and the pulp is exposed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Protecting Your Teeth From Decay and Erosion<\/span><\/h3>\n

To help keep your tooth enamel strong and decay-free, the best idea is to consume foods and beverages that are low in sugar or naturally sugar free. But if you can\u2019t get past your daily diet soda habit, or if you find yourself eating sugar-free candy from time to time, try rinsing your mouth out with water after you\u2019re finished to protect your tooth enamel. Choosing tap water will give you an extra boost of fluoride to strengthen the surface of teeth even more. <\/span><\/p>\n

Some additional healthy-smile tips to remember are listed below.<\/span><\/p>\n