Between the crack of the bottle cap, the bubbly fizz, the first refreshing sip, and zero calories to boot—diet soda can be totally addicting. But is it possible to enjoy this delight without any side effects? A new study states that diet soda could indeed be as “damaging to teeth as methamphetamine, or cocaine.” When examining both effects in the human mouth, it is seen to deteriorate and damage teeth just the same. We are concerned about our weight, so we switched to the no calorie diet soda, but it is so highly acidic that it can cause severe tooth erosion and oral damage!
This specific study examined two males (one a 29-year-old meth addict, the other a 51-year-old cocaine addict) and one female (a 30-year-old diet soda addict) none of whom had been to the dentist in years. The goal of the study was to find out exactly what the link is between hard drugs and diet soda in relation to its effect on their individual oral health. Both the drug users and the soda addict were found to have rotting teeth and decay, and the younger man (meth user) suffered severe dry mouth from the drugs. The teeth were soft and discolored. It’s scary to think that a diet soda addiction could be comparable to a drug addiction, at least in terms of our teeth!
So you’re not a diet soda addict, but how can you make sure this doesn’t happen to you? Make sure you schedule regular appointments, and severely limit your soda (diet or otherwise) intake. It’s best to rinse with water right after consuming anything acidic or sugary!
