CHICAGO, March 21 Prolonged exposure to soft drinks can lead to major enamel loss, and even a short exposure can cause dental erosion, says a U.S. study.Many believe the sugar content of soft drinks is their only concern, or that "diet" drinks lessen sugar content. However, diet drinks contain phosphoric acid and/or citric acid that can cause dental erosion, according to a report published in General Dentistry. "Drinking any type of soft drink poses risk to the health of your teeth," Kenton Ross, a dentist and spokesman for the Academy of General Dentistry, said in a statement. "My patients are shocked to hear that many of the soft drinks they consume contain nine to 12 teaspoons of sugar, and have an acidity that approaches the level of battery acid," Ross said. For example, one type of cola ranked 2.39 on the acid scale, compared to battery acid, which is 1.0.Ross recommends his patients limit intake of soft drinks to meals and to drink with a straw, which will reduce soda's contact with the teeth.The study also found root-beer products are non-carbonated and do not contain the acids that harm teeth but that non-colas can cause a greater amount of erosion than colas.Copyright 2007 by UPI
