The Diane Sawyer 20/20 report on Kentucky’s Appalachian Mountain people was interesting and confirmed something I noted years ago – Mountain Dew is the drink of choice, and also a significant part of why there is so much tooth decay in Kentucky.

I have been informing my patients of the dangers associated with drinking soda, both regular and diet, and Mountain Dew is nothing but a soda loaded with extra sugar and caffeine!  It gives you that jolt associated with coffee and the refreshing feeling of a soda.

Unfortunately, every time you sip a soda your teeth demineralize for 20 minutes. Continue this all day and your teeth will become very porous, which is another way of saying decayed. Teeth are very strong, but at a pH of 5.5 or less they begin to dissolve.  Check the archives on my website for an article on soda and its pH…it is very interesting!

In my practice I don’t focus exclusively on treating the results of soda and sugar, but rather on how to prevent the problem in the first place. Keeping your teeth healthy and strong requires more than just brushing and flossing. For more information, call us or just stop by and talk to me.