Soft Teeth

Rest assured. Soft teeth aren’t real.

Many claims of soft teeth can be explained by an inconsistent hygiene routine, regular intake of junk food, candy, and soda, or a lack of fluoridated water.

When the teeth are not properly cleaned, particularly after eating, bacteria can break down enamel and cause cavities. Regular exposure to sugars increases the rate of enamel breakdown by feeding harmful bacteria.

Fluoride helps prevent cavities by remineralizing and strengthening the enamel. When fluoride and other minerals are absent, teeth are increasingly susceptible to decay.

Monitor pH to Prevent Decay

Maintaining a healthy pH level in your mouth is key to counteracting why you might feel your teeth are soft.

Drinking highly acidic beverages is one of the most common things we do to cause harm to our pH balance. Water has a pH value of 7, which is considered neutral. The lower the pH value, the more acidic it is.

Here are some examples of pH levels in common drinks, according to Dimensions of Dental Hygiene, Northwest Dentistry, and University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio:

Consuming drinks high in acid constantly coats your teeth with acid and can do a lot to cause issues commonly associated with soft teeth.

  • Water – 7 (neutral)
  • Coffee (8 oz) – 5.5
  • Snapple Plain Tea – 3.93
  • Lipton’s Iced Tea – 3.86
  • Sprite – 3.42
  • Gatorade Sports Drink (12 oz) – 3.4
  • Red Bull Energy Drink (8.3 oz) – 3.3
  • Mountain Dew Soft Drink (8 oz) – 3.2
  • Diet Pepsi – 3.05
  • Nestea Iced Tea – 3.04
  • White vinegar – 3
    • Lemon juice – 3
    • Cranberry & Apple juice – 3
    • Dr. Pepper – 2.92
    • Squirt – 2.85
    • Monster Energy Drink (8 oz) – 2.7
    • AMP Energy Drink (8 oz) – 2.7
    • Powerade Sports Drink (12 oz) – 2.6
    • Coca-Cola Soft Drink (8 oz) – 2.5
    • Pepsi – 2.49
    • Rock Star Energy Drink (8 oz) – 1.5
    • Full Throttle Energy Drink (8 oz) – 1.45
     

    Dr. Nikki Christian
    @ Independence
    3820 S Whitney Ave
    Independence, MO 64055
    816.373.7374
    Dr. Wesley Christian
    @ Blue Springs
    1400 S Outer Rd
    Blue Springs, MO 64015
    816.229.4010