HOW MUCH POP DO YOU DRINK IN AN AVERAGE WEEK?

Soft drinks are no longer an occasional treat. They've become a daily habit for a growing number of people, especially kids, teens and young adults. A steady diet of soft drinks is a leading cause for tooth decay.

Here's how you get cavities:

• Sugar in pop combineds with bacteria in your mouth to form acid.
• Diet or "Sugar-free" pop contains its own acid.
• Acid in soft drinks, whether they cotain sugar or not, is the primary cause of weakening tooth enamel.
• The acid attacks your teeth. Each acid attacks lasts about 20 minsutes.
• The acid attacks starts over again every sip.
• Ongoing acid attacks weaken your tooth enamel.
• Bacteria in your mouth cause cavities when tooth enamel is damaged.
• If you have a receding gum line, acid does more damage below the gum line than above it. This is perticulary a concern for adults.

SEE WHAT HAPPENDS WHEN YOU SIP ALL DAY.

A 16-year-old had no cavities last year: zip, zero, zilch, nada. This is a picture of the same person's teeth one year later with 15 cavities. Gross is right!

How to reduce decay:

• Drink soft drinks in moderation.
• Don't sip for extended periods of time. Ongoing sipping prolongs sugar and acid attacks on your teeth.
• Use a straw to keep the sugar away from your teeth.
• After drinking, swish your mouth out with water to dilute the sugar.
• Never drink pop or juice before bedtime because the liquid pools in your mouth and coats your tongue and teeth with sugar and acid.
• Read labels. Regular pop is high in sugar. And diet or "sugar-free" pop is high in acid. Sugar and acid are bad for your teeth.
• Drink water instead of pop. It has no sugar, no acid and no calories.
• Get regular checkups and cleanings to remove bacteria buildup (plaque). Floss, too.
• Use a fluoride toothpaste to protect your teeth.