Cavities are a problem for even the best of us. If you brush and floss religiously, but notice that your enamel is continuing to wear away, there may be something that you can do about it besides talking to your dentist. Cut out the sour candy.
New studies have shown that sour candy is almost as bad as sucking on battery acid. Why? It has to do with the various pH levels found in sour candy and the way that acidity can damage your enamel in irreparable ways. If you have children, pushing them towards sweets, salty, or healthy snacks, is the best way to avoid the damaging sour candies that children seem to love.
pH Levels below 4 Destroy Tooth Enamel
Water is at a pH level of 7. This is a neutral acidic level and it doesn’t leave you with any enamel problems. At pH levels of 4 and less, you run into problems with enamel. Your teeth start losing enamel (one of the four tissues that make up teeth in the mouth) at the pH level of 4. Now let’s take a look at all of the sour candy and their pH levels.
pH of Sour Candy
When you look at the general sour candy, the acidity is usually around a pH of 1.5 – 3.0. This is a terrible way to take the enamel of your teeth. The worst offender on our list is the WarHeads Sour Spray. It only has 0.6 less acid than actual battery acid!
Using ACT after Sour Candy
When caring for your teeth at any age, you should avoid sour candy to keep your enamel intact. If you must have your sour treat, be sure to brush your teeth after eating and rinse with ACT. ACT can help to protect your enamel and keep your teeth strong even if you indulge in sour goodness. As always, eating in moderation is a good way to better your health and your teeth.
