Diet Soda Vs. Regular Soda: Is One Healthier Than the Other?

Soda is everywhere—it’s one of the most widely consumed beverages around, with popular choices like Coke, Sprite, Pepsi, and their diet varieties lining store shelves all across the country. In fact, it’s estimated that roughly half of the US population drinks one can of soda every day. But the fact of the matter is, these drinks aren’t good for your pearly whites, even the diet varieties! Here’s more from your trusted dentist about why diet sodas aren’t necessarily better for your teeth than regular sodas, and why you should opt for smile-conscious drinks like water instead.

How Diet Soda Differs from Regular Soda

At first glance, diet soda might not seem very different from regular soda—the only obvious difference is the lack of sugar in the former. Because of this, many people believe that switching from regular to diet soda will keep their teeth healthy, but this isn’t the case. Although diet sodas don’t contain sugar, they can actually cause about the same amount of dental erosion as regular sodas. This is due to the multiple acids and low pH values found in these drinks. Phosphoric acid, citric acid, and tartaric acid are just some of the additional ingredients in diet drinks that can harm teeth; over time, these acids weaken enamel and cause decay.

Why You Should Drink Water Instead

Of course, you can do your smile a huge favor by opting to drink water whenever possible—it’s by far the best beverage for your oral health and can work wonders for safeguarding your smile from the likes of cavities, gum disease, and other unfavorable problems. If you can, choose tap water since it often has fluoride added to it, which is notoriously beneficial for your pearly whites!

Additionally, some other oral-conscious drink options include things like milk, unsweetened tea, plain sparkling water, and diluted juices.  Other useful tips to keep in mind include curbing your consumption of soda, using a straw to sip your drinks, or drinking water simultaneously with soda. Finally, it’s recommended that you brush your teeth about an hour after you’ve finished drinking your soda, to allow your saliva to bring your mouth’s pH level to neutral.

Even though they’re marketed to seem marginally better than their regular counterparts, diet sodas can still harm your pearly whites if you aren’t careful—don’t fool yourself into thinking they’re a “healthy” alternative!

About the Author

Dr. Ulysses L. Marable III received his DMD from the Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry in Augusta and has proudly served patients and families in Fort Valley for several years. His practice prides itself on the level of exceptional care they’re able to provide and the wide variety of treatments they’re able to offer. If you have any questions about the blog or you would like to arrange an appointment for you or a loved one, feel free to contact Dr. Marable through his practice’s website or over the phone for additional information or assistance: (478) 825-3000.