D: You know, Yael, yesterday I was getting my teeth cleaned, and I saw my dentist, Dr. Molar, drinking a soda.
Y: So?
D: Can you believe that hyprocrite? Everyone knows soda rots your teeth. I mean, isn't it true that if you leave a tooth in a glass of soda for a couple days, it will begin to soften and disintegrate?
Y: Actually, Don, that's an urban legend. The next time your kids lose a tooth, try it for yourself and you'll see the tooth remains intact.
D: Really? But I thought soda was acidic.
Y: Well, soda does contain citric and phosphoric acids, but so do plenty of other foods and beverages. Grapefruit juice, for example, is even more acidic than Coke. Usually, though, your saliva can neutralize these acids without a problem, plus your teeth get extra protection from their enamel coating.
D: So I can drink all the soda I want?
Y: Well, I wouldn't go that far. I mean, if you nurse a soda all day long, or drink it when you're dehydrated and your mouth is dry, you might run into problems in the long term. But if your mouth is healthy, the thing you need to be concerned about isn't acid so much as sugar. You see, bacteria that live in the mouth ingest the sugar the soda leaves behind and produce acids that eventually destroy tooth enamel and lead to tooth decay.
D: So I was right when I said Dr. Molar was up to no good.
Y: Don, you seem a little bitter. Did Dr. Molar find a cavity?
D: My lips are sealed. Even if my tooth enamel isn't.
