Dentist reveals 'scary' reason you should give up gin and tonics
Shocking images reveal the terrifying impact of sugary beverages, leaving teeth with “more holes than Swiss cheese”.
Sydney celebrity dentist Dr Lewis Ehrlich shared shocking before and after images of the impact of just one sugary drink, on his Facebook page.
“You only get one set of adult teeth,” he said.
“If these drinks can dissolve the hardest part of your body it’s scary to think what they would be doing elsewhere.”
He explained that low pH or acidic beverages like sweetened and carbonated beverages, can damage the tooth’s enamel leaving gaping holes.
To start, Dr Ehrlich showed a magnified picture of a healthy tooth with a “smooth”, “intact surface” after being exposed to still drinking water.
He shared images of tooth enamel after drinking just one sweetened, ‘sugar free Vodka cruiser’. The magnified image shows tooth enamel marked with multiple holes.
“There are more holes than Swiss cheese,” Dr Ehrlich said of the impact of this pH 3.2 beverage.
Similarly, another image of enamel covered in gaping holes shows the impact of a very acidic pH 2.2 Gin and Tonic.
“The enamel has seen better days after a late night,” he said.
He advises people to “avoid carbonated and sweetened drinks where possible”.
However, he provides practical tips for those who can’t resist fizzy drinks.
“If you’re going to have them, drink them through a (biodegradable) straw and chase them with a water,” he said.
“Wait at least 30 mins before brushing your teeth, and it’s not a bad idea to have some healthy food around to help stimulate saliva and protect those chompers.”
