Soft Drinks
Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in your body, but some foods may be stronger. Here are 7 that can spoil your smile.
Guess what? Sugar isn't the biggest culprit when it comes to a fizzy drink's impact on teeth. These beverages -- diet or not -- strip minerals from tooth enamel because of their high acid content. We're talking corrosive acids like phosphoric, malic, citric, and tartaric. And the flavor of the fizz matters. They all have an impact, but in a study, clear, citrus-flavored bubbly beverages dissolved enamel two to five times more than colas did.
Sports Drinks
Hydration during exercise is important, but reconsider guzzling sports drinks unless you're a true endurance athlete. In a study comparing the erosive effects of five different beverages -- including juice and soda -- sports drinks did the most harm. Their high concentration of strong acids produced the deepest enamel damage in teeth.