Flavored Water vs. Your Teeth

Drinking plenty of water is important, and if you get bored of drinking plain water, you probably think you’re doing yourself a favor by sipping on flavored waters to stay hydrated. You’re trying to make a healthy choice, steering clear of the additives and sugar found in soft drinks. With plenty of exciting flavors to choose from, it’s an exciting way to get your water in. Unfortunately, those flavored waters may not be a great choice for your teeth.

Starting drinking flavored water, whether it’s still or sparkling, could harm your teeth. Most of these drinks contain citric and other types of fruit acids, which can result in tooth erosion, dissolving your tooth enamel. Over time, tooth erosion can make you more prone to cavities or result in hypersensitivity to temperature.

Carbonation lowers the pH of water, but when you add flavors, the commonly used citric acid lowers the pH of the water even more. If you’re drinking flavored, carbonated water, you’re getting a double dose of acidity, which is terrible for your teeth. This doesn’t mean that you can’t sip on a flavored water occasionally, but if you’re drinking these waters regularly, they can be detrimental to the health of your teeth.

At Sunshine Smiles, we teach no flavored drinks in your own home, if at all possible.  Just eliminate them from your grocery list.  Making water readily available, cold, icy, and yummy really hits the spot for kids.  Over a very short period of time, kids will reach for the Yeti full of delicious thirst quenching water.  Yetis have worked wonders for many families.  Create a good habit in your home—DRINK WATER!!