Let me give you a quick answer: Energy drinks that contain sugar along with two or three acids will make your teeth yellow. In fact, energy drinks not only make your teeth yellow but also start eroding your enamel.
If you’re someone who believes that sodas are what make your teeth yellow, let me tell you that energy drinks are no different. Both come with many similar ingredients, such as sugar and acids. It’s worth noting that any acidic sugar-filled drink is an enemy to your teeth.
This article intends to discover what ingredients in energy drinks make your teeth yellow. I’ll also explain how you can protect your teeth from energy drinks.
Let’s get into it…
Contents
Energy Drinks vs. Soda
You’re probably wondering what’s the difference between energy drinks and soda. In fact, there’s not much difference as both contain caffeine, sugar, and acids.
However, they both serve different purposes. Most individuals take soda to feel refreshed, while people take energy beverages to feel more alert and focused.
It may not surprise you that sodas, despite containing caffeine, do not have the same effects as energy drinks. The primary reason might be the lower level of caffeine in sodas than in energy drinks.
Also, sodas have very few ingredients as compared to what you get in an energy drink. If you want to know more about energy drinks, I’d recommend watching this video.
Soda vs. Energy Drinks: What Is More Harmful To Your Teeth?
As you probably know, soda and energy drinks come with almost the same ingredients. Now the question arises: which one is more harmful to teeth? Here’s all you need to know.
Side Effects of Soda
Soda is a high sugary beverage consumed by more than half of Americans on a daily basis. Like other sugar-infused drinks, sodas attack your overall well-being. The side effects of sodas include obesity, risk of getting diabetes, and poor dental health.
A study represents the case of a 25-year-old man who had a 7-year history of drinking cola. Furthermore, his oral hygiene was also poor. The long-term high intake of soda caused him dental erosion.
To reduce the risks of getting dental erosion, you can switch to sugar-free and low-calorie drinks. But, some sugar-free beverages have more potential to cause erosion in teeth. Unfortunately, kids and adolescents consume soft drinks more frequently and are at greater risk of developing erosion.
Side Effects of Energy Drinks on Teeth
The PH level of energy beverages is lower and their long-term use might form dental erosion.
If you don’t want to lose your enamel, it’s important to maintain a PH level of 5.5. When this level goes below 5.5, your teeth start dissolving.
Research showed the lowest PH levels of 2.36 to 3.41 after the consumption of energy beverages. This indicates that energy beverages negatively affect the health of your teeth.
The results further showed that Monster Energy beverages had the lowest PH level. PH levels of energy drinks were compared with those of soft drinks, and it was found that energy drinks caused more demineralization.
Ingredients Associated with Dental Erosion
The following ingredients may cause dental erosion:
- Caffeine
- Sugar
- Acids
Let’s examine which ingredient is a big threat to your dental and oral health and why.
How Does Caffeine Affect Your Teeth?
When energy drinks are under discussion, the first ingredient that may come to your mind is caffeine. Caffeine is the most essential component of energy beverages due to its stimulant effects.
What are the effects of caffeine on your teeth?
If you consume these beverages regularly, you may experience bad oral health because coffee, energy drinks, and sodas contain caffeine.
Tannins are substances present in most energy drinks and beverages that might damage your teeth. With a long-term intake of energy beverages, your teeth will start becoming yellow.
It’s better to keep control of your energy beverage consumption to avoid any serious side effects.
Sugar’s Side Effects on Teeth
Sugar is a sweet danger to your overall well-being, and oral health is no exception. There’s a lot of sugar in energy drinks, which is usually more than the recommended amount in most cases.
Unlike sodas, energy beverages have somewhat nutritional benefits as they contain vitamins and minerals. But the amount of sugar they carry doesn’t make them any healthier.
Research shows that sugar-containing food has a link with increasing the risks of getting cavities. In the same way, this risk increases with the consistent consumption of sugary beverages. Going for sugar-free energy drinks might reduce the risk of demineralization.
Acidic Reaction On Teeth
Acidity in energy beverages can negatively affect your teeth’s enamel. In a 2012 study, when comparing the effects of sports and energy drinks, the results showed that energy beverages have significantly higher acidity levels.
As told earlier, energy drinks might cause a drop in the PH of your mouth and oral cavity. When you take these beverages regularly, you’re exposed to acids repeatedly.
The situation can be worse if you’re consuming energy drinks before bed. If you sleep without brushing, your teeth will stay in an acidic environment overnight. Dental erosion can also be caused by immediate brushing, which wears off the protective layer of enamel.
Do Energy Drinks Make Your Teeth Yellow?
There are chances that you may get stains on your teeth with energy drinks. However, coffee and alcohol are more likely to stain your teeth.
When it comes to energy drinks, yellow teeth are the least of your worries since they come with a lot greater risks. The high sugar content is one of the factors why energy drinks cause tooth decay. Lower PH level is another reason why energy beverages are harmful.
Consuming energy drinks slowly also increases your prolonged exposure to lower PH levels that weakens your enamel.
PH Levels Of Energy Drinks Vs Sodas
Here’s the table showing PH levels of energy beverages;
| Drinks | PH Level |
| Red Bull (Energy Drink) | 3.81 |
| 5 Hour Energy (Energy Drink) | 2.81 |
| AMP Energy (Energy Drink) | 2.79 |
| 7 Up (Soda) | 3.24 |
| 7 Up Diet (Soda) | 3.48 |
| Coca Cola Classic (Soda) | 2.37 |
| Coca Cola Zero (Soda) | 2.96 |
It’s clear from the table that energy beverages are more harmful than sodas when it comes to oral health.
How Can You Protect Your Teeth From Energy Drinks?
It seems impossible to maintain oral health with continuous consumption of energy drinks. However, I’m sharing some tips that have worked for me;
- Using a straw to ingest energy drinks
- No brushing immediately and waiting for at least 30 minutes after consumption
- Taking breaks and not drinking energy drinks consistently
- Rinsing your mouth with water
- Visiting the dentist regularly
You can also follow these ways to protect your teeth from energy beverages. In case you’re not seeing any positive results, you should stop consuming them.
Final Thoughts
If you compare sodas with energy drinks, they’re less likely to make your teeth yellow. According to the table above, energy drinks have lower PH levels than most sodas. The lower the pH level, the greater the risk of erosion.
If you can’t get through your day without ingesting energy beverages. The best way to maintain your oral health is by limiting your intake. Also, you should use a straw to consume them.
Additionally, never brush right away, because you would be removing demineralized enamel in this way.