Is Diet Soda Better for Your Teeth?

Diet soda is not better for your teeth than regular soda.  Diet soda is marketed as healthier than regular soda, but it isn’t better for your body and it definitely isn’t better for your teeth – despite not having sugar or corn syrup.

Let’s start with what makes soda bad for you, then move on to why diet soda isn’t any better.

First of all, soda is basically sugar water with no nutritional value –which in itself is terrible for your teeth and body.  But soda is not just sugar water; it’s acidic sugar water.  Soda is closer to battery acid in acidity, than it is to water.  You know what acid and sugar can do to your teeth, I’ve talked about it in more length here and here.

On to diet soda.  Diet soda is just as acidic as regular soda.  But the real issue is the large amount of diet soda people consume.

Have you ever noticed that diet soda drinkers are some of the most loyal consumers of any product?  I know people who have a soda every so often, but the people I know who drink a diet version of that soda tend to drink several diet sodas each day.  In fact, I know people who claim to drink between a 6-pack to a case of diet soda every day.  Does this shock you?  It did me.  The amount of acidic liquid these people are consuming each day is detrimental to their teeth.

Why are they drinking so much?  I’m not sure.  Maybe they believe diet soda is healthier (not true), and so they can drink more of it, to keep them alert at work throughout the day.  Maybe they have formed a habit or addiction to the caffeine or something else in the drink (though I don’t know of any coffee drinkers who consume the equivalent of a six- to twelve-pack of coffee in one day).  Whatever the reason, people who drink diet soda, drink more of it.  And one regular soda is better than five diet sodas any day.

What’s even better?  Water.  It’s what you should be drinking every day, throughout the day.  Soda should be an occasional treat.

We all need our habits and treats to get us through the workday.  But make healthier habits and trust me, your smile will thank you!