# Dr Pepper - really bad for teeth? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 8, 2002, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper-really-bad-for-teeth/127532 "2002-09-08T12:36:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper-really-bad-for-teeth/127532/1 "2002-09-08T12:36:28Z")
I usually drink Coke and I know it’s bad for my teeth, but recently I got lots of cans of Dr Pepper cheap so I was drinking a lot of it. My teeth felt really bad after a couple of days on the Dr Pepper, much worse than when I usually drink Coke. Why? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper-really-bad-for-teeth/127532/2 "2002-09-08T13:21:51Z")
Can’t be the Dr Pepper, which is the drink of the gods (and the twicksters). Maybe, just maybe, all that sugar is bad for you? I drink the diet. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper-really-bad-for-teeth/127532/3 "2002-09-08T13:59:29Z")
I had a conversation with my dentist after I had bunches of fillings done this summer - I wanted to know why, when I avoided sugar, brush after every meal, floss daily and use a flouride rinse, do I manage to need 8 fillings in a 2 week period. One of the things he suggested was that diet soda is very hard on teeth, because of the acid levels. Assuming he’s correct, if regular soda is as acid, and with the sugar content, maybe it’s as bad, if not worse, for your teeth. I don’t have a cite though - does anyone know, was my dentist right? ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper-really-bad-for-teeth/127532/4 "2002-09-08T14:26:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by twickster47 \* > \*\*Can’t be the Dr Pepper, which is the drink of the gods (and the twicksters). Maybe, just maybe, all that sugar is bad for you? I drink the diet. \*\* **DIET** Dr Pepper?!? Blasphemer!!! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper-really-bad-for-teeth/127532/5 "2002-09-08T19:02:24Z")
Diet has just as much Phosphoric acid in it, so it’s practically as bad for your teeth. Phosphoric acid is worse than sugar. Also please note that I said I normally drink Coke and Dr Pepper feels worse on my teeth. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper-really-bad-for-teeth/127532/6 "2002-09-08T20:11:04Z")
The acid in soda eats away tooth enamel. Since I was a kid and my parents stopped forcing me to drink milk, I’ve become a total Coca-Cola addict. For years and years, it was virtually all I drank. Soon the pretty white enamel on my teeth started to fade away, leaving the brown innards of my teeth for the world to see. The dentist fixed a few of my teeth, but, like a true addict, I continued to drink the Coke undaunted. Long story short : dentures at age 21. Ouch. I don’t know if Dr. Pepper is significantly more acidic, but even if it’s only as bad as Coke, that’s bad enough. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper-really-bad-for-teeth/127532/7 "2002-09-08T21:19:56Z")
Use a straw! ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper-really-bad-for-teeth/127532/8 "2002-09-09T00:32:28Z")
Surely any drink with sugar and acids in it can’t be _good_ for your teeth? I suspect it may be more urban folklore than anything else: > **[Can Coca-Cola Dissolve Teeth?](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/coke-dissolves-teeth/)** > > Imagine what it could do to your stomach! but I’m no expert so don’t blame me if all your teeth fall out in 6 months! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper-really-bad-for-teeth/127532/9 "2002-09-09T11:55:30Z")
Um, nobody is saying it is good for your teeth! ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2002, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper-really-bad-for-teeth/127532/10 "2002-09-10T02:26:55Z")
Check out [http://www.wda.org/Public/kids/ask\_dentist/askarchive.htm](http://www.wda.org/Public/kids/ask_dentist/askarchive.htm) > [@](#): > > The results of my Science Fair Project showed that Mt. Dew Code Red affected the roots the most and that Dr. Pepper affected the teeth worse than the other pops. I drink Diet Dr. Pepper and haven’t noticed any teeth problems. I’ve been using Sonicare since July, and that really cleans superbly well.