Studies bite down on tooth decay from acidic pop, energy-drinks

William Atkins
Sunday, 16 March 2008 19:24

Science - Health

The latest medical study on the acidic nature of high-energy drinks and soft drinks and the condition of teeth points to dental erosion from Coke, Gatorade, Red Bull, and Starbucks Frappucino. Other studies confirm that acidity in such drinks  is a continuing problem as Americans consume more and more of them.        

Barry M. Owens, College of Dentistry, University of Tennessee (Memphis), published the paper “The potential effects of pH and buffering capacity on dental erosion” in the November/December 2007 issue of the journal General Dentistry.

In the paper, Owens says that the pH (potential of Hydrogen) level in energy drinks and soft drinks is a large factor of dental erosion.

As background, a pH level less than seven is considered acidic, while a pH level greater than seven is considered basic (alkaline). A pH level of 7.0, such as water, is defined as neutral because it is equal in acidity and alkalinity.

So, the lower the pH level, the more acidic is the drink. As an example, battery acid has an acidity level of 1.0.

Owens studied the acidity levels of five different soft drinks/energy drinks: Coca-Cola Classic®, Diet Coke®, Gatorade® sports drink, Red Bull® high-energy drink, and Starbucks Frappucino® coffee drink. He used tap water as his control drink. Tap water, as mentioned earlier, has a pH level of about 7.0.

Tooth erosion is the activity of breaking down the structure of teeth by acids on tooth enamel, which leads to tooth decay. Enamel on teeth is a thin, outer layer of hard tissue that helps to maintain tooth structure and shape while helping to also protect from tooth decay.

In the experiment, Owens measured three times the initial pH level in the six beverages. Coca-Cola Classic produced the lowest mean pH level (had the most acid) and Starbucks Frappucino had the highest pH of the six drinks (that is, had the least acid). Tap water, as the control drink, was lowest in acidity of all of the six studied drinks.

When Owens used statistical analysis to measure later pH levels, Red Bull® had the highest mean buffering capacity (which is an indication for the strongest potential for enamel erosion), followed by Gatorade®, Coca-Cola Classic®, Diet Coke®, and Starbucks Frappucino®.

Other studies have shown similar results. Please read on to find out how Pepsi, RC Cola, Squirt, Surge, 7-Up, and other soft drinks did in the study.