Taking to Facebook, Dr Lewis Ehrlich from Sydney Holistic Dental Centre, shared a series of images that illustrate just how much damage alcohol can do to our teeth.
“We’ve all heard of tooth decay but many haven’t heard of tooth erosion,” he said. “It is when acids in your diet start to dissolve away your teeth – the hardest substance in the human body!”
Erosion occurs when the pH in our mouths drop below 5.5. And according to Dr Ehrlich, “at least 30 per cent of people are affected to some extent.”
The first image shows the outer surface of a tooth (aka, the enamel) when exposed to still drinking water. “pH is around 7,” he wrote in the caption. “It is zoomed in 7000x. Note the smooth intact surface. The way it should be.”
Next up, was an image of the enamel after being exposed to a sugar-free Vodka Cruiser with a pH of 3.2: “note there are more holes than Swiss cheese."
The final image was taken post-gin and tonic (with a pH of 2.2) and shows even larger holes. “The enamel has seen better days after a late night,” he added.
The takeaway here? You only get one set of adult teeth, so it’s worth looking after them.
“If these drinks can dissolve the hardest part of your body it’s scary to think what they would be doing elsewhere,” he wrote. “Avoid carbonated and sweetened drinks where possible. If you’re going to have them, drink them through a (biodegradable) straw and chase them with a water.” Dr Ehrlich also advised to “wait at least 30 mins before brushing your teeth,” and reckons it’s a good idea to “have some healthy food around to help stimulate saliva and protect those chompers #rethinkyourdrink.”
Rethink your drink, indeed.