How Fruit Juice Affects Your Teeth

As a healthy alternative to soda and sports juice, fruit juice is often enjoyed. The downside is that juice is extremely acidic and can damage the enamel on your teeth. The acid in juice begins to erode your teeth as soon as it washes over them. Enamel is made of mineral crystals that are densely packed. These crystals cannot grow back, so once they are damaged, they cannot heal or be restored.  

Eroded enamel exposes the yellow dentin underneath, and the damage is more than just cosmetic. Your teeth can become sensitive each time you eat or drink something hot, cold, spicy, sweet, sour or acidic. According to the National Institutes of Health, juice isn’t the only beverage that can damage teeth: Even just one soda a day can also erode enamel as can wine, energy drinks and fruit smoothies. Low-acid alternatives such as tea, water and milk are better options.  

Tips to help avoid damage to your teeth:

When you do drink something that is acidic, use a straw. This limits the amount of contact the liquid has with your teeth.

Drink your juice with food rather than between mealtimes, and after your meal, rinse your mouth with water to get rid of any lingering acids in your mouth.

After eating, wait about half an hour to give your saliva time to neutralize remaining acids, and then brush your teeth.  

Keep your enamel strong by brushing with fluoridated toothpaste and have a fluoride treatment once or twice a year to help fight tooth enamel decay.

If you have already suffered enamel erosion, there is hope. You can use an enamel restoring toothpaste to strengthen the remaining enamel on your teeth, and you might benefit from fluoride treatments, which can help remineralize the enamel as well. If the damage is extensive, we might recommend fillings, bondings, veneers or other restorations to protect the worn enamel.

If you have questions regarding fruit juice and how foods affect your teeth, please ask our Cedarhurst, NY team for advice.

Call us today at 800-223-0801 to schedule an appointment. You can also schedule online at http://www.alinabergandds.com/appointments/