Summer drinks and your teeth
A delicious drink is a must on a hot summer day. But how good are your favourite drinks for your teeth? We took a closer look at some refreshments and tested them for heart and tooth enamel.
Iced tea and iced coffee
It is well known that coffee and tea can be the cause of discolouration of your teeth. However, it also depends on the degree of darkness of the drink, because the darker the coffee or tea, the stronger the discolouration. The dark dyes get stuck in the fine grooves on the surface of your teeth and cause discolouration. In addition, coffee and tea contain acids that can attack tooth enamel. However, if you still don't want to give up a refreshing iced coffee or iced tea, make sure you take deliberate and time-limited breaks from drinking and avoid continuous drinking. In addition, milk counteracts the effects of coffee and black tea, and green tea is a delicious alternative. You can also use a sustainable straw, e.g. made of glass, to sip your favourite drink and reduce the spread of the drink on your teeth.
Lemonade
What would summer be without lemonade? But beware, soft drinks also contain acid and usually a lot of sugar (up to 40g per serving), which can attack tooth enamel. Our tip for not having to give up sugary soft drinks: A glass of milk or water will ensure that most of the acids and sugar are rinsed from your teeth, thus reducing the exposure time. Similarly, dental gums stimulate the flow of saliva and help to restore the pH level in your mouth. Homemade sugar-free drinks, e.g. water with cucumber slices or berries, are also a good alternative and refreshing on a hot summer day.
Sports drinks
When exercising on hot summer days, you should make sure you drink enough fluids. Sports drinks are also popular, as they provide energy to maintain athletic performance. But here too, you should ensure moderate consumption. To replenish the electrolytes lost through sweating, most sports drinks contain a lot of sugar (about 20 grams) and citric acid for flavour. The sugar it contains can permanently attack tooth enamel. The citric acid can also soften the enamel and cause abrasion of the mineral layer, which in the worst case can lead to destruction of the tooth substance, a tooth erosion. It is therefore also important that you take at least a half-hour break between consuming your drink and brushing your teeth. When exercising, try coconut water or dilute a fresh fruit juice and add a pinch of salt for electrolytes. Bananas also ensure that your energy reserves are quickly replenished.
Wine
Wines, especially red wines, contain tannins, which provide the taste, but at the same time can also stain your teeth. They also contain acids, white wines more than red wines, which can attack tooth enamel. You should also not consume sparkling wines excessively, as the combination of acids, carbonation and sugar can also wear away your tooth enamel.
Cocktails
The cocktail bar at a summer party is your place-to-be and you wouldn't say no to a daiquiri by the pool? But watch out! Besides the sugary and acidic cocktail choices that can damage your tooth enamel, alcohol also inhibits saliva production and dries out your mouth. This can also cause unpleasant bad breath. That's why you should drink a glass of water after every alcoholic beverage. This will not only make your next morning more pleasant, but will also rebalance the pH level in your mouth. Less dangerous for your teeth are watermelon-based cocktails, which have a low pH and high water content. The natural sweetness of watermelon also reduces the amount of added sugar needed. Piña Colada also helps to reduce pH with its coconut milk, but it contains quite a bit of sugar. Acidic and sugary cocktails should also be enjoyed in moderation, as they can attack tooth enamel and lead to tooth decay and erosion.
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