Sipping Is Terrible For Your Teeth
If you think sugar, soda, and sticky sweets are bad for your teeth, you’re right. But there’s something even worse: sipping. Think about that coffee sitting on your desk, the tea you sip throughout the day, and every cup you do not finish in one swift go. Research shows that acid is the primary determinant of a beverage’s potential to damage your teeth. And almost every beverage available, including sparkling water, is acidic to some degree. Unless your drink is flat water, nursing a beverage for hours is detrimental to your oral health.
The role of oral pH
To have a healthy mouth, the balance of acid and base inside should be as neutral as possible. Science class reminder: pH measures how acidic or basic (alkaline) something is, on a scale from 1 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral. The lower the pH (less than 7), the more acidic. The higher the pH (more than 7), the more alkaline. The longer acid lingers in your mouth, the faster damage will occur. Saliva washes away food particles and neutralizes oral pH. But it’s not instantaneous.
Sipping increases tooth erosion
When you regularly sip the same cup throughout the day, saliva does not have time to raise your oral pH, so teeth are not remineralized and strengthened. Persistently low pH creates an environment where teeth are at increased risk of erosion, when tooth structure dissolves.
The bottom line
“When there’s repeated, long exposures, almost all food and drink can be considered harmful to teeth,” says Devoti. “Good oral habits go beyond brushing and flossing to recognizing 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.