Soy Milk Harms the Teeth

When you drink soy milk, the production of acid by the bacteria contained in the oral cavity increases six-fold.

Acid, in its turn, contributes to the formation of plaque, which causes tooth decay.

For his experiment, Eric Reynolds and his colleagues from the dental school at the University of Melbourne (Australia) selected four types of soy milk and two types of cow’s milk. Milk were mixed with streptococci bacteria, which are present in the human oral cavity; they are usually associated with dental caries. Researchers found out that after adding the bacteria to soy milk, it became sour after 10 minutes, while the acidity of cow’s milk did not change.

William Bowen, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Rochester said that one cup of milk is unlikely to cause substantial harm to the teeth. But the mothers of those children who drink soy milk throughout the day from a bottle need to think about their kid’s dental hygiene.