The potential ravages of soda pop caries in
teenagers should not be underestimated. Some
teenagers drink as many as 12 cans of soda pop a
day. In one well-documented case, a teenager who
grew up drinking fluoridated water and brushing
twice daily with a fluoride-containing toothpaste
developed caries in every one of his erupted teeth,
necessitating two extractions and many restorations.
Diet analysis revealed that he consumed
6–12 cans of soda pop daily.4
Some of the ravages of
this condition are visible in Figures 2 and 3. Other
case reports have demonstrated similar findings
among other adolescents in whom chronic, high
soda pop consumption was linked with widespread
demineralization of enamel and extensive caries in
pits and fissures and in the interproximal areas.5