Diet soda decays your teeth as bad as drug addiction
A new study shows that drug addiction and large consumption of diet soda had similar effects on one’s teeth.
Diet soda can be as damaging to teeth as a hard drug addiction.
A new study from the Temple University School of Dentistry found that soda consumption rots the teeth due to acidity, much like the effect of methamphetamine.
Constant exposure to soda's citric and phosphoric acids causes dental erosion, while drugs tend to dry the mouth raising acidity levels.
"You look at it side-to-side with 'meth mouth' or 'coke mouth,' it is startling to see the intensity and extent of damage more or less the same," said study leader professor Mohamed Bassiouny.
Bassiouny's study looked at a woman in her 30s who drank two liters of diet soda everyday for three to five years.
More from GlobalPost: One soda a day increases diabetes risk, study says
She stated that she chose diet soda because of her weight gain. She also admitted to not seeing a dentist for many years.
Oddly, her bite was damaged by resting her head on her left arm while watching television, which shows the softness of her teeth.
Comparing her teeth with those of crack and meth users showed extremely similar tooth decay.
Both her and the addicts had soft teeth worn down by erosion.
The woman and the users had to have all their teeth removed.
The study found no difference between sugar free soda and regular on the teeth.