My dentist referred me to a prosthodontist for 4 caps on my teeth. My dentist is uncomfortable placing them himself. He has done other caps for me but he wanted a prosthodontist to look at my teeth. After I a lot of questions from the prosthodontist about what is causing damage to my teeth, I told her that I drink a lot of energy drinks. I work nights and I work out as soon as I get off from work. The energy drinks help me keep up with my crazy schedule. The prosthodontist said that energy drinks are ruining my teeth. I just wanted to verify this with someone else because the energy drinks I use have artificial sweetener not natural sugar. Thanks. Drew
Drew – Although many energy drinks don’t contain natural sugar, they do contain large amounts of citric acid. Citric acid that remains on your teeth can damage your tooth enamel and lead to cavities and tooth decay.
A study published in a 2012 journal of General Dentistry shows that energy drinks contain twice as much citric acid as sports drinks. Your prosthodontist is right about the effects of energy drinks on your teeth. We recommend that you limit your consumption of energy drinks. When you do drink them, immediately after, rinse your mouth thoroughly with water. If that’s not possible, chew sugar-free gum to increase the saliva flow in your mouth and neutralize the acid.
Although prosthodontists specialize in restoring and replacing teeth, they prefer that you maintain good oral health to preserve your teeth. Excessive use of energy drinks is a hindrance to maintaining good oral health.
This post is sponsored by Naperville board-certified prosthodontist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.
