Why lifting the soda ban in NYC shouldn't stop you from skipping out on sugary drinks

On March 11, the New York ban on large sugary drinks was blocked by a state trial judge because it was seen as a loss of liberty. According to CNN, the ban would have included energy drinks, sodas, fruit drinks and sweetened tea, but excluded beverages with at least 50 percent milk (like a latte) and alcoholic beverages. Although this ban was halted, drinking a 30 ounce soda is bad for your well-being, and that includes your oral health. Here are some reasons why you should steer clear of massive sugar-infused beverages:

Soft drinks are considered to be one of the most significant sources of tooth decay, and causes of bad breath in children and adults. The combination of acid and sugar wreaks havoc on your mouth, and when combined with improper brushing techniques or teeth grinding, it can lead to tooth loss.

Soda and your body
Soda has a lasting effect on the body's internal organs, as well as the mouth. One of the main reasons why it creates bad breath is the effects it has on the digestive system. Do you ever feel like you need to belch after drinking a soda? The food in your system isn't breaking down and is then being released through the mouth (talk about bad breath).

Soda can also mess up your metabolism, increase belly fat and promote high cholesterol that puts individuals at risk for heart disease. Oral health and heart disease have been commonly linked to one another, likely because of a bad diet that can create both issues in the body, but research hasn't found a concrete correlation.

Do you ever feel like you're thirstier after drinking a soda than beforehand? Having a dry mouth after drinking soda is not good for your mouth because it basically traps the anaerobic bacteria that are releasing volatile sulfur compounds and causing bad breath. VSC's let off a rotten egg or cabbage stench. Sound familiar?

If you just can't give it up
Drinking soda in large quantities can cause damage to your entire body, but if you cut back on your intake and increase water consumption, the damage will be far less severe. After drinking soda, you should make sure to drink a glass of water to rinse away the acid and sugar that is left sitting on your teeth and gums. This sugar attracts anaerobic bacteria that cause issues in the mouth. Although it may seem like a good idea to brush your teeth after consuming a soda, it's actually not. Your teeth are sensitive from the acid, and brushing will do damage to the teeth's enamel.

Cola for cleaning
No, unfortunately we don't mean to clean your teeth. We all know that the sugar in soda can lead to bad breath in children, but did you know that the acid in soda can clean your toilet? It's that powerful! One of the active ingredients, phosphoric acid, has a pH balance of 2.8 (1 is the most acidic). This acid can remove stuck on stains in your toilet bowl if you let it sit for about an hour, and can also get rid of car bumper rust, corrosion from battery terminals, loosen a rusted bolt and get grease out of clothes. It's not recommended to kill the bacteria in your toilet, but it sure makes you think twice about drinking a glass of soda.