The more consumption of sugary foods and drinks, particularly before bedtime, was associated with higher risk of dental caries in children. A large body of evidence suggests that sugar-sweetened beverage consumption should be decreased to promote the children’s dental health. Our findings indicated that the daily consumption of 100% juice, candy use more than once a week, and soft drink and sweet drink at bedtime were all associated with higher risk of dental caries.

Frequent consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) was associated with higher odds of having a cavity in US children aged 1 to 5 years. The article says caregiver-reported cavities were associated with frequent SSB consumption in early childhood, and that the more SSBs consumed, the more likely children were to have a cavity.

In conclusion, excessive intake of soft drinks could cause complex dental consequences including dental erosion and caries. Soft drinks containing inherent acids and sugars have both acidogenic and cariogenic potential. To reduce dental caries risk, the low-calorie and sugar-free food was recommended. However, sugar-free soft drinks often have as high erosive potential as sugar-containing soft drinks.

The evidence indicates that the consumption of unhealthy food and beverages in children ≤10 years appears to increase the risk of dental caries. Almost all studies (n = 34) reported positive associations between the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages or foods high in free sugars and dental caries. Consumption of sugar-containing soda pop and powdered beverages, and, to a lesser extent, 100% juice was associated with increased caries risk.

Increasing SSB consumption is associated with increased risk of dental caries and erosion. Most random-effects meta-analyses revealed a statistically significant association between SSB consumption and caries; moderate consumers have significantly higher odds of caries and, on average, more decayed, missing or filled teeth than never/low-level consumers. We found not only a positive association but also a dose-response gradient between SSB consumption and caries, with people who consume larger quantities of SSB having greater odds of dental caries and erosion.

The consumption of free sugars in foods and beverages is the most common risk factor for dental caries. Dental caries results when plaque forms on the surface of a tooth and converts the free sugars contained in foods and beverages into acids that destroy the tooth over time. WHO strongly recommends reducing intake of free sugars and implementing sugar-sweetened beverage taxes; it also advises against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control or reducing the risk of noncommunicable diseases, but this guidance is about systemic disease risk rather than dental caries specifically.

This narrative review discusses the effects of carbonated soft drinks, both regular and diet, on dental enamel and caries risk. It concludes that "abuse of carbonated acid substances leads to an increase in the possibility of dental erosion with consequent structural disintegration" of enamel and that daily consumption of soft drinks is linked to tooth erosion and decay, regardless of sugar content. The review attributes the main erosive effect to the low pH and acids in the beverages rather than sugar alone, noting that milk did not differ from saliva in erosive potential while soft drinks caused high erosive effect on enamel surfaces in vitro.

This study compared diet and regular Coca-Cola on enamel erosion in cold and room temperatures. Diet Coca-Cola is more erosive than the regular type and the temperature of the beverages used had no significant influence on enamel erosion. The findings of the present study showed that both studied beverages can potentially erode the enamel surfaces after immersion cycles. Within the limits of this study, it may be concluded that: 1. The diet Coca-Cola is more erosive than the regular type.

Sugar sweetened beverages (SSB), or drinks with added sugars, are associated with ... tooth decay. Sugar consumption is the most important contributing factor of caries. The policy statement also notes that sugar alcohols ... do not promote tooth decay.

This investigation exposed caries-free cervical dentin specimens to sugar-free acidic beverages for 24 hours. After the erosive challenge, 5 beverages produced significant erosion of cervical dentin. Coca-Cola and Zevia Cherry Cola showed the greatest change in surface roughness, surface volume loss, and erosion depth. Both have a low pH because of their added acids (phosphoric acid for Coca-Cola; tartaric acid and citric acid for Zevia Cherry Cola) and the carbonated water they contain. Therefore, dentinal erosion is possible with sugar-free beverages in vitro.

This review states that sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to cavities and that carbonated drinks are highly acidic, causing loss of tooth structure via erosion. It also says the literature suggests even diet varieties can lead to erosion, while noting nonsugar sweeteners are noncariogenic and useful sugar substitutes.

Researchers from the University of Melbourne Oral Health Cooperative Research Centre tested eight sports drinks for their impact on tooth enamel. As a comparison, researchers also tested a major cola brand and bottled spring water. The study found that both the sugar-containing and sugar-free soft drinks produced significant erosion of the dental enamel, with teeth showing measurable weight loss and surface loss. “There was no significant difference between the erosive potential of sugared and nonsugar soft drinks,” the researchers concluded.

This cross-sectional study of US adults examined clusters of beverage consumption and their association with dental erosion. It reports that the "high diet drinks" cluster showed the highest percentage of individuals with erosion (85.0%) compared with other clusters, and logistic regression showed increased odds of erosion (odds ratio = 1.27; 95% CI = 0.58–2.77) versus the high water cluster, although the association was not statistically significant. The authors conclude: "High diet drinks consumption slightly increased the odds of dental erosion among US adults, although this relationship was not statistically significant" and state that it is not yet clear that dentists should recommend diet drinks as healthy substitutes for sugary drinks.

This study compares enamel dissolution from both regular and diet beverages. The data reported here indicate that carbonated soft drinks may cause significant long-term enamel dissolution. Manufacturer indicate similar amounts of enamel dissolution from both, suggesting that the presence of simple carbohydrates such as sugar in a soft drink (as opposed to artificial sweeteners) has no effect on enamel dissolution. It should be mentioned that the pH range for most beverages is 2.4–3.4, well below the threshold pH for dental caries of 5.5.

The abstract identifies sugar-sweetened beverages as a leading cause of caries and frames the article as supporting action to reduce SSBs. The evidence in the abstract is specific to sugar-sweetened drinks, not a claim that non-sugar-sweetened drinks are equally harmful.

This clinical resource explains that "frequent consumption of soft drinks, particularly carbonated sodas, is a primary risk factor for erosive tooth wear." It states that the primary etiologic factors in dental erosion are acids from diet, "particularly carbonated/soft drinks or acidic fruit-juice consumption," and that any beverage with a low pH can increase risk for erosion, especially with frequent use. Soft drinks, sports drinks and fruit juices with low pH values (2.0–3.5) are highlighted as significant predisposing factors for erosion, emphasizing that acidity and beverage pH, not just sugar content, drive erosive tooth wear.

Several studies have indicated consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) can increase the risk for diabetes, heart diseases, obesity, and dental caries. Consumption of SSBs is detrimental to dental health; evidence shows a dose-response relationship between the prevalence of dental caries and the frequency of SSB intake. The acidity level in sodas and energy drinks can cause erosion in enamel, which can increase the chances of dental decay, an increased need for restorative treatment, and tooth loss.

The inherent acid in soft drinks contributes to dental erosion by chemically etching away the dental hard tissue without bacterial involvement. This process is facilitated by the low pH and high buffering capacity of soft drinks, which can significantly lower the surface hardness of enamel and dentine. Coca-Cola, which contains phosphoric acid, exhibits a pH of 2.6. Beverages with a pH lower than 4 are responsible for irreversible dental erosion. Beverages that we usually consume are classified based on their pH level as extremely erosive (pH < 3.0), erosive (3.0 ≤ pH ≤ 3.99), and minimally erosive (4.0 ≤ pH < 5.5).

The article explains that harmful bacteria in the mouth feed on sugars and produce acids that can damage teeth, causing cavities or enamel erosion. It also recommends avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages and notes that plain sparkling water and unsweetened tea are lower-sugar options.

Sugar substitutes are most commonly a part of candies, chewing gums, soft drinks, and energy drinks; these may lead to acid production too and, hence, may cause irreversible loss of tooth surface or dental erosion. Sugar-free drinks: Drinks with artificial sweeteners can help consume less sugar; however, it has been found that these sweeteners are just as likely to contain substances that weaken teeth enamel. Sugar-free treats and drinks with acid flavorings and preservatives lower the salivary pH below a threshold level, which may lead to dental erosion, and those with sticky components may cause dental caries, too.

This in vitro study evaluated erosive effects of various acidic beverages including fruit juices, sodas and sports drinks on extracted teeth. The authors report that acidic beverages increase the risk of tooth erosion in vitro, with some soft drinks and juices causing substantial loss of enamel surface hardness and mineral content. They conclude that consumption of acidic beverages "increases the risk of dental erosion," supporting the role of beverage acidity and low pH as key determinants of erosive potential rather than sugar alone.

This study demonstrated that the mean pH of zero beverages was not significantly different from that of regular carbonated beverages available in the market. Both regular and zero beverages had pH values lower than 4 and thus were considered erosive to dental enamel. The titratable acidity of zero and regular carbonated beverages was also similar, indicating comparable potential to cause tooth erosion.

Research shows that sugar-sweetened beverages can harm the dentition in several ways. A common misconception is that the high concentration of sugar in these drinks is solely responsible for dental caries, but new research shows that the acidic ingredients play a role in tooth decay as well. These acids do not need sucrose to start the demineralization process, which may be confusing to patients; they may not understand how “diet” or “light” beverages can still cause dental caries.

The PDF summarizes literature on sugar-sweetened beverages and dental disease, and states that children with the highest intakes of SSBs were two to almost five times more likely to have severe early childhood caries compared with children who consumed the least amount of SSBs. It also lists sugar-free options such as water, unsweetened tea, milk, and plain sparkling water.

Unfortunately, although they often contain no sugar, diet sodas usually cause about the same amount of dental erosion as regular sodas and can harm your teeth. Artificially sweetened soft drinks are often highly acidic, and this acidity can erode tooth enamel over time. While sugar-free drinks reduce the risk of sugar-driven cavities compared with sugary drinks, their erosive potential means they can still damage teeth if consumed frequently.

This university dental school article warns that "You may be saving calories by drinking diet soda, but when it comes to enamel erosion of your teeth, it’s no better than regular soda." It explains that phosphoric and citric acids, common in many popular sodas and diet sodas, alter the pH balance in the mouth and can cause tooth erosion over time. The piece notes that numerous scientific studies have shown a relationship between soda consumption and enamel erosion and cavities and emphasizes that the damage from soda pop erosion of tooth enamel "is permanent."

Although they often contain no sugar, diet sodas usually cause about the same amount of dental erosion as regular sodas. Recent studies show that sugar is not the only bad ingredient in soft drinks. An equally big culprit in all drinks is the acid used to enhance flavor, sometimes called phosphoric acid, which eats away the enamel. Our doctors explain that these acids, not the sugar content, are primarily responsible for the erosion seen with both sugared and sugar-free beverages.

This dental practice blog describes research comparing diet and regular soda on enamel dissolution. It states that "diet soda, even without sugar, poses only marginally less of a threat than its sugar-laden counterpart" and that both have acidity levels almost as high as stomach acid. Citing an experiment by Rodgers and von Fraunhofer at the University of Michigan, it reports that after 14 days regular soda dissolved 3.0 mg/cm² of enamel, while diet soda dissolved 2.8 mg/cm², indicating similar erosive effects regardless of sugar content.

Soft drinks containing inherent acids and sugars have both acidogenic and cariogenic potential, resulting in dental caries and potential enamel erosion. In experimental and observational work, cola beverages showed higher cariogenicity than milk and sucrose, and sugar-free soft drinks had erosive potential comparable to sugar-containing soft drinks. Low-calorie and sugar-free foods were recommended to reduce caries risk, but this does not remove the risk of erosion from the acidic formulations of many diet beverages.

This dental office article addresses whether diet soda harms teeth less than full-sugar soda. It explains that "the acids used to give diet soda its flavor, like citric acid and phosphoric acid, can directly erode tooth enamel" and that this erosion weakens the enamel and increases risk of sensitivity and cavities. The article emphasizes that while diet soda is sugar-free, its acidity still poses a significant risk to dental health and that both types of soda can contribute to enamel erosion if consumed frequently.

This dental practice page states that "Diet sodas, including Diet Coke, contain phosphoric and citric acid, which can erode tooth enamel over time. While they may be sugar-free, the acidity in these beverages still poses a significant risk to your dental health." It notes that Diet Coke has a low pH, meaning it is highly acidic, and that carbonation plus added acids can gradually wear down enamel, leading to increased sensitivity, higher cavity risk, discoloration and weakened teeth. The article cites research from the American Dental Association indicating that frequent consumption of acidic beverages is associated with increased risk of enamel erosion and cavities.

Multiple commenters, including self-identified dental professionals, discuss the effect of "zero" or diet sodas on teeth. One highly upvoted response explains that most diet soft drinks are still acidic due to carbonation and added acids, so "they still degrade your teeth," but are less harmful for cavities because they lack sugar for oral bacteria. Another summary comment states: "Sugar-free sodas might not be ideal for dental health, but they are considerably less harmful compared to their sugary counterparts," distinguishing between acid-driven erosion (similar risk) and sugar-driven caries (lower risk in sugar-free drinks).