A study carried out in Philadelphia has revealed that excessive consumption of soft drinks – even diet versions – can be as damaging to the teeth as dangerous narcotic, such as crystal meth; although the amount of soda required to do the same damage is said to be much more than the normal amount consumed by the average person.
Dr. Mohamed Bassiouny, who carried out the research at the Temple University School of Dentistry in Philadelphia, compared a patient in her 30’s that drank two litres of soft drink every day for five years, to a 29-year-old meth addict and a 51-year-old crack-cocaine user. The meth addict also admitted to drinking two or three cans of soda a day and the crack user said that they had regularly used the drug for 18 years; furthermore, the soda drinker added that she had not been to see the dentist in many years.
Dr Bassiouny told U.S News and World Report that ‘None of the teeth affected by erosion were salvageable’; he found that all of the test subjects had to have all their teeth removed due to their poor condition. Additionally, the study found that sugar-free soft drinks are just as damaging to the teeth as the regular version, due to their acidic content.
The American Beverage Association felt that the research was flawed and said ‘The woman referenced in this article did not receive dental health services for more than 20 years – two thirds of her life, to single out diet soda consumption as the unique factor in her tooth decay and erosion – and to compare it to that from illicit drug use – is irresponsible.’