Soft drinks can be hard on child’s teeth

  • Published
  • By Capt. Benjamin Coon
  • 60th Dental Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  With the increasing popularity of “extreme sports” among today’s youth, many soft drink advertisers have begun to target these children, sending misleading messages to the young, naïve consumer. 

Soft drink companies have sought out the world’s top athletes in events like snowboarding, skateboarding, bicycle motocross and motocross to endorse their products. 

Adolescents everywhere have fallen prey to these strategic marketing attacks, passing up healthier calcium-rich milk and water in hopes of enhancing energy and improving performance by consuming beverages saturated with sugar. In the past 10 years, soft drink consumption among children has almost doubled in the United States. 

Today’s average teenage boy consumes three or more cans of soda per day and 10 percent drink seven or more cans a day. The average for teenage girls is more than two cans a day and 10 percent drink more than five cans a day. 

What our youngsters may not understand is how these poor nutritional choices are affecting their health, in particular their teeth. As a result, soft drinks have become a major concern amongst dentists everywhere. 

The increased consumption of soda starting at a very young age is causing a profound increase in tooth decay nationwide. Tooth decay, is caused by the bacterial fermentation of sugars. While it may be common knowledge amongst Americans that the consumption of sugar leads to tooth decay, many people, especially youngsters, do not know that the demineralization to teeth may occur in the absence of sugar. 

Dental erosion is the loss of tooth structure resulting from continuous exposure to acid. The severe acidity of these beverages, even diet sodas and sport drinks, can be extremely detrimental to one’s oral health, often causing irreversible damage to the young, immature enamel of children’s teeth. 

Parents should encourage their young ones to cut soft drinks out of their diet. 

For more information, contact the Arthur J. Sachsel Dental Clinic at the David Grant USAF Medical Center by calling 423-7001.