It is now widely known that certain drinks aren’t good for your teeth – notably fizzy drinks that cause wear and tear to the enamel (protective coating) on your teeth. However, there remain a huge number of drinks on supermarket shelves that include high quantities of sugar, yet many of us do not know the extent to which these drinks are bad for our teeth.
So we decided to compile a compare and contrast list of drinks in order to show you how much sugar you’re actually consuming….
Before reading, bare in mind that the average person should be consuming 30-40g sugar per day….
- Lucozade (Ready to drink 380ml bottle)
Lucozade is one of the best instant energy-giving drinks and is marketed as a ‘before sports’ drink. However, there are many people that consume a 380ml bottle who subsequently do not burn off the energy they’ve just fuelled themselves with. As a result, the sugar is stored as fat. What about the damage to your teeth? The high acidity and sugar content of Lucozade makes it one of the most teeth-unfriendly drinks out there. According to Dr Alex Milosevic of Liverpool University, the drink contains above the ‘safe’ level of acidity. If consumed on a regular basis, the drink can cause serious erosion and tooth decay.
- Ribena (ready to drink 500ml bottle i.e. – one portion).
Ribena is one of the secret demons on our list. Marketed as a ‘fruit’ juice, this silent guilty pleasure contains 70g of sugar which is equal to 7 lollipops worth…. So though it may contain your daily dose of vitamin c, this is being cancelled out by the excessive sugar levels that in contains. This drink contains 50% MORE sugar than the RDA.
- Coca Cola (355ml can).
This iconic drink is a common no-no for sugar content – perhaps our most notorious anti-teeth drink on the list. By consuming one can of coke a day, you’re using up your entire recommended sugar allowance of the day. The acid in Coke starts to erode the enamel protecting your teeth and bacteria is able to move into the weakened and eroded areas which leads to cavities.
4. Red wine.
We all know the damage red wine can do when we spill it on a pale surface. Now imagine the same damage to your teeth. If you’re a red wine fiend, try to remember to brush your teeth before drinking, as this will reduce the chance of tannis clinging to your teeth. Dentists recommend drinking sparkling water after every few sips of red wine, this will keep staining at bay – plus you’ll minimise your hangover in the process!