Dental Health Check with Dr. Linda Niessen
Dental health topics from Dr. Linda Niessen of Baylor College of Dentistry
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 Acid and Soft Drinks

By Dr. Linda Niessen
Monday, May 31, 2004

STORY: ACID & SOFT DRINKS
SCRIPT #559  
AIRDATE:   Monday, May 31, 2004
Daybreak and Midday
DHC MASTER #19 TC:  31:29  

On a holiday such as Memorial Day, soft drink consumption soars along with the hot temperatures. And that concerns one group of health professionals: dentists! Dr. Linda Niessen explains in today's segment of Dental Health Check.

If you have a sweet tooth, you may drink several carbonated drinks every day. Your dentist may see the effects on your teeth. But the problem is not just the sugar. High levels of acid in soft drinks promotes tooth decay because acid dissolves tooth enamel.

"And it doesn't really matter if it's a regular, or if it's a low calorie, or non calorie, i.e. a diet drink. Because if you read the label on these, they all have citric acid, phosphoric acid, ascorbic acid. They are acidic."

Dr. Chuck Wakefield teaches dentistry. He and his students tested soft drinks for levels of acidity.

Two popular cola drinks both test under 3-point O, a low pH, which translates into high acidity.

"And what this does over a short period of time, it will demineralize or melt away the surface of the tooth. And once that surface is gone, then the softer tooth is exposed and decay, which we call caries in dentistry, can just go like wildfire." Saliva protects teeth because it is just the perfect pH, about a 7 on the scale.

"And unless you test your pH with litmus paper, you really won't know how it is for your mouth."

We tested Kimberly Southern's acid level before and after drinking a diet cola.  It was a perfect 7 before taking a sip.  After, her pH level dropped to a 3 or 4.

Remember, it's not just sugar, it's high acidity too. For Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas A & M System, I'm Dr. Linda Niessen, Channel 8 News.

Dr. Linda Niessen, clinical professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences and  the Office of Communications and Development at Baylor College of Dentistry, hosts Dental Health Check, the only weekly dental feature shot on location in the nation.

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