The 4 Worst Drinks for Your Teeth
We extensively test and research all services we review. Here's why you can trust us.

The 4 Worst Drinks for Your Teeth

Your favourite beverages could make dining and other activities a lot more pleasurable. However, they might also be the culprit behind a less-than-dazzling smile.

Your nightly ritual with toothpaste and an electric toothbrush might not be enough to protect your teeth from the harmful effects of these drinks.

But which are considered the worst drinks for your teeth, anyway? Let’s take a closer look.

Soda

Soda

A lot of teeth whitening centres point to soda as the biggest culprit behind tooth decay. It’s loaded with sugar, is acidic, and can erode your teeth’s enamel if regularly downed.

Diet sodas are just as bad, and might even be worse. It’s the high acidity level that really causes tooth decay and in the case of darker-coloured soda, could also stain teeth in the process.

But if you like the fizziness that goes with your favourite soda, try carbonated water, instead. Luckily, a SodaStream can turn even the dullest drinking water into a sparkly, refreshing drink minus all that sugar.

Tea with sugar

Tea with sugar

Green tea is considered quite healthy by a lot of cultures. In fact, it can help reduce gum inflammation while providing a host of other health benefits.

However, black tea, while considered a healthier alternative to soda, could turn your teeth yellow over time. So it’s good to indulge in it once in a while, but don’t make it your go-to during high tea.

While you’re at it, be careful drinking iced teas that have a ton of sugar or honey in them. You could be sipping the most effective slimming tea in existence, but adding sugary things in it will not just negate its effects, but harm your teeth in the process.

Coffee

Coffee

Sadly, that perk-me-up beverage that everyone loves could also be the cause of a lot of stained teeth. Coffee ranks high in the list of worst drinks for your teeth for a number of reasons, too. 

Coffee can also dry out your mouth and cause stinky breath (which isn’t a good thing to have during a coffee date!). The good news is that you can always drink water immediately after to help negate the effects of downing brewed or instant coffee every day. 

If you really can’t give up drinking coffee, at least drink it smartly. Steer clear of whipped cream, sugar, syrups, and other too-sweet additions and drink it up straight if you can.

Sports drinks

Sports drinks

It’s quite tempting to go to the gym laden with bottles of sports drinks (because that’s what the commercials and ads encourage you to do, right?).

However, bringing your own filtered water in a water bottle is still the better choice. Water can rehydrate you without packing on the sugar and threatening to rot your teeth in the process.

So the next time you’re at the Pilates studio and your personal trainer gives you the go-ahead to take a break, nix the sugary sports drink. H2O is the purest and healthiest way to bring back lost electrolytes without compromising your oral health.