Fizzy drink's less sparkling side

We all know fizzy drink is bad for your teeth, but just how bad? 

Research shows that fizzy drinks can cause both dental erosion and tooth decay. 

Tooth erosion involves the loss of hard tissue (enamel) from the tooth's surface through a chemical reaction with the acid in fizzy drinks. If untreated, this can lead to tooth sensitivity, enamel fracture and pain. 

Tooth decay occurs as a result of the high sugar content. Some fizzy drinks can contain more than 9 teaspoons of sugar in just one can.

To give you an idea of the scale of it, did you know that drinking any amount increases the risk of long-term damage in a 14-year-old by a whopping 220%. A study published in the British Dental Journal found drinking just one can of soft drink daily increased children's chances of tooth erosion. 

See it in action

Now, being just down the road from Springlands School, we're very aware many of our local Marlborough students have been busily working away on their science fair projects right now. We thought it would be timely to share the science experiment of young Chase, who wanted to see (and compare) the effects of two well-known fizzy drinks on teeth.

Warning, it is a little gross - and may make you think twice before you reach for another bottle of fizzy drink!

P.S. What about sugar-free sodas? 

Some people think by choosing 'sugar-free' fizzy drinks they have avoided the problem. Well, sugar-free soft drinks (or diet drinks) do not directly lead to tooth decay - but they can still erode your teeth however, by wearing away the enamel. So, although you may be avoiding the double whammy of acid and sugar - even just the acid alone is bad for your teeth.

Better to avoid the soda altogether and opt for water or milk!