Excessive amounts of fizzy drinks can damage teeth as badly as methamphetamine (meth) or crack cocaine, according to a study published in General Dentistry.1

In the study Dr Mohamed Bassiouny, professor of restorative dentistry at the Temple University School of Dentistry in Philadelphia, says that meth, crack cocaine and fizzy drinks, whether sweetened or not, are all highly acidic and can cause similar dental problems.

The study highlights that the dentitions of individuals addicted to meth or crack cocaine can be misdiagnosed as dental caries rather than generalised dental erosion, a condition that is also associated with chronic excessive consumption of fizzy drinks. Failing to identify the causative aetiology could lead to a wrongful diagnosis that could in turn adversely affect treatment planning.