Diet Soda Still Bad For Teeth

In a study mainly aimed at keeping kids off of those new-fangled energy drinks, (won't someone please think of the children!) we are reminded that soda drinks, even diet, are bad for children's teeth. The problem is the acidity of the carbonated water, which can erode teeth enamel. In teenagers, this erosion is worse, since the enamel has not yet matured and is porous, allowing faster erosion from acidity and a liquid's "buffering capacity." Energy drinks have an even higher buffering capacity, where a lower capacity means better acid neutralizing, than diet sodas. So, even if the kids won't get fat from all the diet cola, their teeth may rot out by the time they reach thirty. Great. Just one more thing to worry about. I like the Academy of General Dentistry's recommendations for sucking all the fun out drinking artificially sweet stuff: "Use a straw positioned at the back of the mouth so that the liquid avoids the teeth. Rinse the mouth with water after drinking acidic beverages. Limit the intake of sodas, sports drinks and energy drink." So now I have to carry a bottle of water so I can rinse and spit after enjoying my Diet Coke. What fun! Phtooey!