Mountain Dew Mouth

Good evening, today I would like to talk about something your dentist and even your parents have been warning you about since you were a little kid. Have you ever heard your parents say, “You’re going to rot your teeth out if you keep drinking that” after you crack open an ice cold soda? Well, it seems that for once your parents were right.

(photo taken by healthline.com)

I read an article this week on healthline.com about a specific oral damage that is actually called “Mountain Dew Mouth”. MDM is tooth decays that is caused by frequent consumption of soda, specifically Mountain Dew. Recent studies on the East Coast of the United States have issued a statement that over 65% of children suffer from tooth decay.

Soda contains contents that are very, very bad for your teeth including: carbonation, sugars, and acids; Mountain Dew has particularly high levels of all three.   It contains more sugar than Coca Cola and Pepsi. In addition, a very large amount of citric acid  is needed to create the glowing green signature color of Mountain Dew.   Acid as you might imagine, is highly corrosive to tooth enamel causing damage to your teeth.

Experts say it is tough to determine if MDM is common or not but with the billion dollar soda industry growing annually it is easy to say that soda consumption is increasing which could cause an increase MDM.

(photo taken by healthline.com)

Image by UCR Strategic communications

If you are unable to stop drinking pop, especially Mountain Dew, experts have explained that you should drink the pop quickly instead of sipping on it slow.  When you drink the beverage slowly it coats your teeth with sugars and acids. Another solution to prevent MDM is to visit your local dentist. This will allow you to find out if you have a cavity and if tooth decay is already an issue.  Interestingly,  when I was thinking MDM and how I might be able to be proactive, the first thing that came to mind was to brush  my teeth  immediately after drinking a soda.  Surprisingly this is a really bad idea! Recent studies have shown that if you brush your teeth after drinking soda it causes even greater damage!

As a Pop and Mountain Dew consumer myself, this has taught me to lean away from the sugary drinks and stick to water. I always thought my parents told me not to drink Mountain Dew because it made my hyper, not because they were actually looking out for my health. If you take care of your body, especially your teeth by avoiding sugary beverages, you will save hundreds of dollars at the grocery store, and thousands of dollars at the dentist. Until next time.

Robert Mora

Pletcher, Peggy, “What Causes Mountain Dew Mouth” , Health Line, 25 Feb, 2015, http://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/mountain-dew-mouth#1, accessed 23 Oct, 2016