BEVERAGES AND
ENAMEL EROSION
YO U R G U I D E F O R P R E PA R AT I O N
It’s every parent’s struggle to keep your kitchen stocked
with items that can feed and delight your family. Although
important for all the members in your family, it is integral
to the developmental stages of your children’s teeth! Tooth
enamel begins to erode when acid levels in the mouth fall
below 5.5 on the pH scale.
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What is a pH scale?
A pH scale is a measure of how acidic or basic a substance is. The
scale ranges from 14 to -1, where 14 is extremely basic and -1 is
extremely acidic. Seven is considered “neutral”.
It’s important to note that the pH scale is logarithmic, meaning
that each value below seven is ten times more acidic than the next
higher value.
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How do your drinks rank?
Below we’ve compiled a list of common beverages and other
substances found in homes, and listed them alongside where
they rank on the pH scale. Be prepared, some of these may
shock you!
Substance
Acidity
WATER
7.0
SPRITE
3.3
GATORADE
2.9
COCA-COLA
2.4
MINUTE-MAID ORANGE JUICE
3.8
SUNKIST ORANGE SODA
2.9
MOUNTAIN DEW
3.3
DR. PEPPER
2.9
RED BULL
3.3
BARQ’S ROOT BEER
4.0
PROPEL FITNESS WATER
3.4
DIET COKE
3.0
DIET PEPSI
3.0
SIERRA MIST
3.1
PEPSI
2.5
1.0
BATTERY ACID
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Sugar Beverages
The danger doesn’t end there, unfortunately. Often, most of these
beverages pack a wallop in the sugar content department. Let’s
take a deeper look into just how much is packed into each serving.
Substance
Sugar (tsp)
WATER
0
SPRITE
10
GATORADE
5
COCA-COLA
10
MINUTE-MAID ORANGE JUICE
9
SUNKIST ORANGE SODA
13
MOUNTAIN DEW
12
DR. PEPPER
10
RED BULL
10
BARQ’S ROOT BEER
11
PROPEL FITNESS WATER
1
DIET COKE
0
DIET PEPSI
0
SIERRA MIST
10
PEPSI
11
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BATTERY ACID
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Ensure your child is receiving the best dental care
by selecting the right provider for your family’s
needs. At Dentistry for Children and Adolescents,
we deliver oral health care that is comprehensive,
accessible and family-centered for children and
adolescents.
To learn more about us and the services we can provide your
family, call either one of our locations:
Creve Coeur, MO at 314-567-1122
St. Charles, MO at 636-946-5225
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