14 DAY TRIAL // Methamphetamine, crack cocaine and soda affect teeth in roughly the same way, argues a study recently published in the journal General Dentistry.
Interestingly enough, it matter very little whether the soda is diet or not. Thus, researchers say that all types of soda take their toll of a person's teeth, which is why people would do best to avoid drinking them all that often.
By the looks of it, meth, crack and soda owe their ability to damage teeth to their being highly acidic.
While keeping a food dental hygiene does yield some benefits in terms of keeping erosion and oral damage under control, long-term exposure to these substances will inevitably harm one's teeth.
The Inquisitr quotes Dr. Mohamed Bassiouny, a restorative dentistry professor currently working in Philadelphia, who commented on how said drugs and soda affect teeth as follows:
“You look at it side-to-side with ‘meth mouth’ or ‘coke mouth,’ it is startling to see the intensity and extent of damage more or less the same.”
Backing up his statements, Dr. Eugene Antenucci, a spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry, made a case of how, “From my experience, the damage that happens to people’s mouths from cocaine or methamphetamine are degrees greater than what I see from soda, but I see a lot of damage from soda.”
The claim that soda is just as bad as meth and crack for the teeth is based on data collected while closely monitoring a 30-year-old woman who drank 2 liters of coke per day for a period of time of up to 5 years.
When comparing the oral health of this woman to that of a 29-year-old meth user and a 51-year-old cocaine abuser, it was discovered that they all suffered from extensive tooth decay and noteworthy oral damage.
As was to be expected, the soda industry were quick in pointing out the fact that, as far as they are concerned, the findings of this research are by no means bulletproof and do not really offer any strong evidence that soda consumption can and should be held accountable for tooth erosion.
“The woman referenced in this article did not receive dental health services for more than 20 years – two-thirds of her life.”
“To single out diet soda consumption as the unique factor in her tooth decay and erosion – and to compare it to that from illicit drug use – is irresponsible,” they reportedly said in a statement.