It's called "pop" in the Midwest and most of Canada. It's "soda" in the Northeast. And it goes by a well-known brand name in much of the South. People across North America use different words to identify a sugary, carbonated soft drink. But however they say it, they're talking about something that can cause serious oral health problems.
Soft drinks have emerged as one of the most significant dietary sources of tooth decay, affecting people of all ages. Acids and acidic sugar byproducts in soft drinks soften tooth enamel, contributing to the formation of cavities. In extreme cases, softer enamel combined with improper brushing, grinding of the teeth or other conditions can lead to tooth loss.
Because the sugar is being dumped into your tissues and cells, the excess that your body isn't able to burn up ends up being stored as fat, which causes weight gain. Studies show that there is an increased risk of breast cancer in rats when they consumed a high-sugar diet. Although, the human body is a little different than a rat's, it is something to keep in mind if you have breast cancer in your medical history. The carbonation and phosphoric acid can decrease your blood calcium levels. Because calcium is important to have healthy bones and muscles, you'll find that with less calcium in the body, your bone mass and density will suffer. Soda and carbonated drinks will increase your risk of osteoporosis.
~Broken bones and bone fractures are also common when you have lowered bone density. The more fragile your bones are, the higher your chance of an injury~
Caffeinated beverages can be worse than all. First off, caffeine is a diuretic which can cause you to become dehydrated weight gain increase the risk of heart disease and cancer if you're not careful; your kidneys will work harder to push out the extra liquid in your body, which is slowly drying out your body.
Caffeine can also decrease the calcium in your body, as well as stimulate your central nervous system, causing stress, a racing mind, insomnia, and the jitters. Caffeine is very addictive, so when you drink more, you generally crave more over time. The more caffeine you consume the more potential health problems you'll encounter.