# My Dentist says that even diet sodas cause tooth decay so why aren't there warnings? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 8, 2004, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156 "2004-05-08T07:05:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Roland\_Deschain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@Roland\_Deschain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Deschain)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/1 "2004-05-08T07:05:20Z")
I actually raised the question with my dentist because my old dentist have often mentioned that he noticed a great deal of tooth decay in those who drank diet soda. My new dentist said that he believes that phosphoric acid might be the culprit. Here is a semi-official website that also raises the issue of phosphoric acid and tooth decay [http://www.coloradohealthsite.org/chnqna.html?Dental%20Health?Children?all](http://www.coloradohealthsite.org/chnqna.html?Dental%20Health?Children?all) . So my question/s are as follows: 1. Have there been any clinical studies into the link between phosphoric acid and tooth decay? 2. If a link were established might not soft drink manufacturers face class action suits? These could be brought under strict liability, and or implied warranties of merchantibility theories. At the very least perhaps diet sodas (since I think everyone already considers regular soda to be harmful due to their high sugar content) should have warnings about this potential hazard (if it actually proves to be one). ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/2 "2004-05-08T07:45:49Z")
Does regular soda have warnings on it? I think anyone without the common sense to know that anything besides water or toothpaste = bad for your teeth isn’t too concerned with fighting tooth decay. Anytime I eat or drink anything besides water I immediately follow by rinsing my mouth out with water if I’m not near a toothbrush. ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/3 "2004-05-08T07:59:51Z")
Well, it honestly never occurred to me, and frankly I think a lot of people equate “sugar free” with “fine for your teeth”. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/4 "2004-05-08T08:25:56Z")
I have to disagree that common sense tells you anything but water and/or toothpaste is bad for your teeth. I have always been taught that tooth decay occurs, not by the actions of food or drink directly, but from the acidic secretions of two main species of bacteria, which form plaque on and in between your teeth and thus hold themselves (and their hideous acids) next to your tooth enamel for extended periods of time. Even acidic beverages like orange juice and soda (diet or otherwise) aren’t really harmful to your teeth unless you soak them constantly in the stuff, because otherwise it doesn’t stay on your teeth long enough to do damage. Snopes has a related article here: > **[Can Coca-Cola Dissolve Teeth?](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/coke-dissolves-teeth/)** > > Imagine what it could do to your stomach! Hopefully this isn’t too much of a hijack, but what _I_ always wondered was whether various sugar substitutes used in “diet” products, like saccharines, aspartame, Splenda, etc. can still be metabolized by the “bad” bacteria in your mouth, and if, thus, consuming these could lead to tooth decay even though they are “sugar-free.” I know that sugar alcohols like sorbitol, etc. specifically advertise that they do not cause tooth decay (because oral bacteria can’t metabolize them), but I haven’t really been able to find any information on other sugar substitutes. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/5 "2004-05-08T12:32:32Z")
You know, sometimes common sense takes the place of needing another friggin warning label. What’s next, a warning label on a car door reminding us that if we don’t remove our fingers they will get smashed when we close it? What is it with our society? Doesn’t the legal community have enough to do already? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/6 "2004-05-08T17:21:49Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > Hopefully this isn’t too much of a hijack, but what _I_ always wondered was whether various sugar substitutes used in “diet” products, like saccharines, aspartame, Splenda, etc. can still be metabolized by the “bad” bacteria in your mouth, and if, thus, consuming these could lead to tooth decay even though they are “sugar-free.” This was covered recently here, I think, and this quote from the [Splenda](http://www.splenda.com/page.jhtml?id=splenda/hcp/safety.inc) web site was provided: > [@](#): > > Not cariogenic: Although sucralose is derived from sugar, it is not used by oral bacteria that cause tooth decay. The maltodextrin and dextrose that are added to the granular and packet forms of SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener have some cariogenic potential, but studies have shown that these SPLENDA® products may be preferable to sugar when comparing potential for causing dental caries. Googling further on other sugar substitutes yielded this: > [@](#): > > Aspartame, cyclamate and saccharin cannot be metabolised to acids by the oral microorganisms. They are perfect when it comes to dental caries but have some disadvantages however when it comes to taste, stability and lack of volume Which is from the [Malmo University](http://www.db.od.mah.se/car/data/substit.html) site. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/7 "2004-05-08T17:31:48Z")
[This](http://www.mindconnection.com/library/health/softdrinks.htm) site would seem to support the notion that any carbonated drink is bad for the bones, by depleting calcium from the body. Surely this would affect the teeth? ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/8 "2004-05-08T18:48:03Z")
Thanks **Quixotic** , that’s exactly what I was looking for. Good to know. And **Spectre of Pithecanthropus** , that site doesn’t look too reliable to me … they repeat some pretty nutty things about soda (like highway patrol carrying two gallons of soda to remove blood from the highway after accidents, or a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke dissolving after only two days). [This Snopes page](http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp) refutes some of the claims made in the list on that page. ---
**Author:** ![Roches](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bc8723/32.png) [@Roches](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roches)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/9 "2004-05-08T19:45:09Z")
One factor that seems to have been neglected is that all carbonated beverages are inherently acidic because they are saturated with CO[sub]2[/sub]. Carbon dioxide dissolves in water as bicarbonate (HCO[sub]3[/sub][sup]-[/sup]) and carbonate (CO[sub]3[/sub][sup]2-[/sup]). This alone is enough to reduce the pH of carbonated water to around 4.5. Adding other acids (such as phosphoric acid in colas) reduces the pH yet further, to around 2.5 to 3. Diet colas are slightly less acidic than full-calorie ones, but still more acidic than fruit juices (generally pH 3-4, tending closer to 4 than 3) or tap water (around pH 6.5 to 7.5 depending on the source). The issue is that while diet sodas can’t cause tooth decay by providing sugars to acid-producing bacteria in the mouth, they can still cause damage simply by exposing the tooth enamel to acid. This effect only lasts as long as the acid from the soda is actually in contact with the teeth. Also, treatment with fluoride makes teeth much less vulnerable to attack by acid. I’d be interested in knowing what a dentist would recommend if diet sodas cause tooth decay. Fruit juices (my expected answer) contain sugar and are quite acidic; they’d be milder than full-calorie cola but still not completely safe for teeth. Coffee is also acidic and can be tooth-staining. A really conscientious dentist couldn’t recommend anything but non-carbonated, fluoridated water. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/10 "2004-05-09T05:37:31Z")
> [@Roches](#): > > A really conscientious dentist couldn’t recommend anything but non-carbonated, fluoridated water. My dentist recommends green tea, which is a natural source of flouride. It does have some tooth-staining affects, however. ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Deschain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@Roland\_Deschain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Deschain)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/11 "2004-05-09T18:47:39Z")
> [@awldune](#): > > My dentist recommends green tea, which is a natural source of flouride. It does have some tooth-staining affects, however. My dentist said that you should only drink distilled water, that has also undergone reverse osmosis processing. He doesn’t even advise flouride for adults. ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/12 "2004-05-09T20:24:49Z")
I remember a story (can’t remember what book it was in) wherein the CEO of Coke was presented with a study that showed that rats teeth put in a glass of Coke compeltely dissolve in 6 months. His reaction was, if you leave your teeth in Coke for 6 months, you deserve it. Brush your teeth well after having a soda, and you should have no problems. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/13 "2004-05-09T23:04:52Z")
Okay: so you consume sugar (or something that turns into sugar in your mouth, like starch) and the bacteria begin metabolizing it and secreting acid that is bad for your teeth. I can taste this acid, after eating sweet things, and I know that I need to brush my teeth–fast. Am I the only one, or is it just something nobody talks about? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/14 "2004-05-10T01:53:56Z")
I fall into the camp that says you shouldn’t need a warning label for everything because there would be no end to the labels. Even water is dangerous if taken in excess. Every consumable that is acidic in nature is potentially damaging to teeth. All soda’s are acidic. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/15 "2004-05-10T04:56:17Z")
> [@Roland Deschain](#): > > My dentist said that you should only drink distilled water, that has also undergone reverse osmosis processing. He doesn’t even advise flouride for adults. This is just plain silly. Get a new dentist. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/16 "2004-05-10T06:03:31Z")
**Magiver** , “potentially” is the key word. Sure, you could damage your teeth severely by bathing them in diet soda for days, but nobody does that. It looks like the only serious cavity threat comes from bacterial colonies that trap themselves next to the tooth enamel and excrete acids that are also held right next to the enamel for extended periods. Other potential threats, like the phosphoric and/or carbonic and/or citric acid that diet sodas have, are quickly washed away by the saliva after ingestion, and thus don’t usually hang around long enough to do serious damage. And, of course, the potential for trouble is much lower if you brush your teeth and use some kind of fluoride. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/17 "2004-05-10T13:46:24Z")
> [@Roland Deschain](#): > > My dentist said that you should only drink distilled water, that has also undergone reverse osmosis processing. He doesn’t even advise flouride for adults. Your dentist is a crackpot. Or worse. Let me guess - he just happens to have a “reverse osmosis processing unit” that you can install in the safety of your own home, for only nine easy payments of $99.99. Did he also offer the Cap Snaffler[sup]TM[/sup]? Regards, Ron “Shodan” Popeil, D.D.S. ---
**Author:** ![editor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/49beb7/32.png) [@editor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/editor)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/18 "2013-03-03T23:36:28Z")
A class action lawsuit against the junk pop soda mega corporate white shirts could reap TRILLIONS in money damages for dental bills. I’d sign on in a minute for all the wasted time spent in the dental chair; others probably have more serious “Mountain Dew Mouths”… Whatever exec decided to put Phosphoric Acid into soda should be ; at the least imprisoned.:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Clark\_Cello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Clark\_Cello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clark_Cello)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/19 "2013-03-04T00:05:26Z")
> [@Roland\_Deschain](#): > > My dentist said that you should only drink distilled water, that has also undergone reverse osmosis processing. He doesn’t even advise flouride for adults. Well, Dr. Ripper should know what he is talking about. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156/20 "2013-03-04T00:47:39Z")
> [@editor](#): > > A class action lawsuit against the junk pop soda mega corporate white shirts could reap TRILLIONS in money damages for dental bills. So why don’t you start a suit and let us know how it works out for you? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dentist-says-that-even-diet-sodas-cause-tooth-decay-so-why-arent-there-warnings/244156.md?page=2)