Greystone Smile Design

Research posted in the Journal of the American Dental Association claims sour candy can erode teeth more due to a higher level of acidic ingredients.   Tests were conducted on candy with a sour counterpart:  Jolly Ranchers, Life Savers, Mike and Ikes, and Twizzlers using extracted human teeth.  Results showed an increase in acidic erosion with the sour Jolly Ranchers, Life Savers, and Mike and Ikes. 

So, what does this mean?  Sugar causes cavities, we all know that.  What most people don’t consider is the erosive potential of candy and soft drinks.  You can think of erosion by visualizing wear.  Examples include tattered river banks from water erosion, receding coast lines from beach erosion, and Arches National Park (Utah) from wind erosion.  The same thing with teeth.  With a consistent presence of acid-rich stimuli, wear on teeth results.  This is also a site specific phenomenon, which means the wear occurs where the stimuli is placed.  For example, if a person sucks on lemons, a noticeable erosive pattern will result on the teeth where the lemon is in contact.  Sometimes this adds to the complexity of diagnosis because the acid stimuli can incorporate into saliva and produce a generalized wear pattern, much like we see with grinding.  Also like grinding, once the stimuli is removed the erosive behavior ceases, but the resulting wear is irreversible.

This research can be compared to regular sodas vs. diet sodas.  Many people think that diet sodas are better for their teeth.  They are better in a sense, in that sugars are drastically reduced.  But the acidic content of the soda is still present, so erosive potential still exists.   

Does this mean I can never drink a regular soda or eat sour candy?  Of course not.  It means you should consume these in a “healthy” fashion.  It’s the constant contact of sugar and acid that that causes problems.  The worst thing one can do is sip on a soda or eat sour candy throughout the day.  Enjoying these for a dessert or for a snack is reasonable, and brushing afterwards is never a bad idea. 

Teresa Marshall, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, and colleagues conducted this study.  “Almost any carbohydrate or acid-containing food/beverage product consumed in an ill-advised manner can increase risk of caries (cavities) and erosion,” she said. “However, the same products can also be consumed safely. The task of the dentist is to provide anticipatory guidance that is realistic and doable.”

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This entry was posted on Monday, July 20th, 2009 at 8:34 PM and is filed under Diet, Patient Education. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.