Yes. Squash is bad for your teeth. Even if it’s no added sugar.
Do squash drinks cause tooth decay?
Unless the packaging explicitly says “sugar free”, it will contain sugar. Don’t confuse “sugar free” with “no added sugar” – they are not the same.
All squash and cordials contain sugar. So when drank between meals they will count as a sugar attack, and cause tooth decay. This includes Robinson’s, Ribena, Vimto, Fruit Shoot, Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morisons, Aldi, M&S, Rocks, Ocean Spray, Tetley, Teisseire, Jucee, Bottlegreen, Belvoir, Britvic, and Blossom Cottage. Whether they are packaged as squad, cordial, high juice, juice from concentrate or no added sugar. All brands. They all contain sugar.
Due the sugar content in squash you should ideally only drink it at mealtimes, and never after you have brushed your teeth at night.
Are squash drinks acidic?
As well as causing tooth decay, squash drinks can cause a type of tooth wear called acid erosion. Most fruit flavoured drinks are acidic and so can soften the enamel and dentine in teeth so that they wear away. Acid erosion makes teeth look smooth, shiny and sometimes yellow, and often make them feel sensitive to cold, hot, brushing and/or sugar.
Due to the acid content of squash drinks you should try to limit how often you drink them and never drink them before brushing your teeth. At night only drink water for the last hour before bed.
When talking about drinks and the effects on teeth, frequency is more important that the amount you drink. For example it would be better to drink a whole glass of squash with a meal, rather than slowly sipping from half a glass throughout the day. More sips means more sugar and acid attacks, but drinking a glass of squash with a meal won’t increase the number of sugar or acid attacks that day.
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