You may have heard that sodas are bad for you. The acid and sugar erode the tooth enamel, causing decay and sensitivity. A recent study, published in an article in Science Daily, brings to light another worrisome component of soda.

It is widely known that protective enamel erodes away when it is exposed to acid. The phosphoric and citric acids contained in sodas are major contributors by increasing acidity, lowering the pH balance in the mouth. Furthermore, a variety of natural and artificial sweeteners also contribute to higher acid levels by sticking to the tooth enamel and providing a food source for bacteria. The bacteria then multiply, coat your teeth, and produce lactic acid. This process begins to wear away the tooth enamel in the same way as the phosphoric and citric acids. Sodas get their carbonation from the addition of small amounts of carbon dioxide to the water. As a result, carbonic acid is produced and it too erodes the enamel.

If the negative effects of soda on oral health are not enough, here is some more food for thought. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have detected and analyzed a potentially carcinogenic byproduct of certain types of caramel coloring found in colas and dark sodas. Caramel coloring is commonly used and people who regularly consume these beverages that contain it could be exposing themselves to 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI), a possible carcinogen formed during the process of some caramel coloring. You can read the original article here http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150218191653.htm?utm_source=feedburner.

It’s probably not a bad idea to cut back and perhaps eliminate sodas from your regular diet since there really are no benefits from its consumption.