As a dentist you never want to read that sales of sugary carbonated drinks are on the rise. From 2005 to 2018, for 13 straight years, soft drink consumption in the U.S. was on a downward trajectory.1 The soft drink industry saw about a 25 percent decline in consumer consumption in those years. But in 2019 and 2020 consumption of carbonated soft drinks (CSD) grew modestly.2
While only a modest increase in the growth of the carbonated soft drink market is projected for the period 2021 through 2026, any growth in the market generally means more tooth issues for consumers.
Sugary drinks may taste good but are a threat to your dental health.
It is also concerning to hear that 49 percent of Americas reported weight gain due to the pandemic, with an average increase of 29 pounds.3 That figure backs up the belief that Americans are eating, and drinking, more high calorie foods and beverages.
That’s why it’s more important than ever that consumers take a moment to think about the damage that making unhealthy food and beverage choices can do to their bodies, and especially their teeth.
Beverages that Damage Teeth
Consumers need to understand that it’s not just carbonated sugary beverages that are bad for you. Any beverage that contains added sugars or other sweeteners is not advisable to consume on a regular basis. Some of the common beverages in this category include fruit-flavored drinks, flavored water, sports drinks, energy drinks and sweetened coffee and tea.
It is acceptable to consume flavored waters without sugar, plain or sparkling water, 100 percent fruit juice drinks and diet drinks that are sweetened with artificial or other no-calorie sweeteners.4 Here are some common drinks and the sugar amounts they contain5:
Capri Sun Fruit Punch, 6 oz. pouch = 3.25 tsp. sugar (3 tsp. is equal to 1 tablespoon)
Sunny D, 8 oz. = 3.5 tsp. sugar
Starbucks Frappuccino, 9.5 oz. = 7.75 tsp. sugar
Gatorade, 20 oz. = 8.5 tsp. of sugar
Coke, 20 oz. = 16.25 tsp. of sugar (24 tsp. equals one half cup of sugar)
It is a bit confusing to read nutrition labels to figure out sugar content as nutrition labels measure sugar in the metric weight measurement of grams, not cups, which is a volume measure. A beverage, such as a 12-ounce can of Mountain Dew, which contains 44 grams of added sugar, would have about a quarter cup of sugar.
Pay Attention to Labels
You may have noticed that the newest version of nutrition labels now contain two sugar categories: total sugars and added sugars. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) total sugars include those naturally present in many nutritious foods and beverages while added sugars include those that are added during the processing of foods and not naturally occurring in foods and beverages.6
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than 6 teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar a day for women and 9 teaspoons (36 grams) of added sugar a day for men.7 If a man drank one 12 oz. Mountain Dew a day, with those 44 grams of added sugar, he would be 8 grams over the amount of added sugars he should consume for the whole day.
It is important to think before you drink, both for your teeth and your waistline. Nutrition labels are there to guide you toward more healthy habits. Hopefully, by doing so, Americans will reduce their sugary beverage consumption and get more positive annual check-ups at the dentist.
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1 Per Capita Consumption of Soft Drinks in the United States from 2010 to 2018 (in gallons) by M. Ridder, 1/13/2022
Link: https://www.statista.com/statistics/306836/us-per-capita-consumption-of-soft-drinks/
2 2021 Soft Drink Report: New CSDs Crafted for ‘Sizzle and Pop’, by Barbara Harfmann, 3/23/2021
Link: https://www.bevindustry.com/articles/93973-soft-drink-report-new-csds-crafted-for-sizzle-and-pop?
3 Here’s How Much Weight Americans Gained during Covid, and Here’s How They’re Losing It, by Diana Olick, 4/9/2021
Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/09/fitness-companies-surge-in-demand-as-americans-rush-to-lose-covid-weight.html
4,5 Healthy Food America Report: Sugary Drinks in America, 6/2018 https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/heatlhyfoodamerica/pages/418/attachments/original/1529333445/Sugary_Drinks_in_America_Finalv.pdf?1529333445
6 Added Sugars on the New Nutrition Facts Label, 3/11/2020
Link: https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/added-sugars-new-nutrition-facts-label
7 12 Ways Too Much Sugar Harms Your Body, 6/6/2020
Link: https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/ss/slideshow-diabetes-too-much-sugar