4 Dietary Trends to Watch Out For
Juice
Cleanses
Fresh juices offer a variety of essential nutrients, but acidic ingredients like lemon, grapefruit and orange can erode your enamel.5 Juice cleanses are commonly done for gut health. While a juice cleanse can play a role in a balanced diet,1 too much juice is one of the contributing factors to enamel loss.2 Once enamel is gone, it never grows back.1
Drink juice with a straw to limit exposure to your teeth.
Alkaline Diets
What is an alkaline diet? This is a diet that consists of foods and beverages that are low in acid (aka alkaline, instead of acidic or neutral).3 Fruits and unsweetened fruit juice are key components of an alkaline diet.3 However, some citrus fruits like lemons and limes are alkaline-forming foods once ingested, but their acidity in the mouth can cause enamel erosion, especially citrus juices.6
Tip: Balancing a high-acidic diet with low-acid foods, like milk and yogurt, may help reduce enamel erosion.6
Infused Waters
Fruit-infused waters are both healthy and hydrating, but fruit-infused water can be bad for your teeth, since citrus fruits could lead to enamel erosion.5
Consider using low-acid fruits and flavorings such as cantaloupe and cucumber.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit is often touted as a weight-loss remedy, with claims that it contains fat-burning enzymes that can eliminate pounds.4 Most versions of this diet call for at least half a grapefruit with each meal, or grapefruit juice as a substitute.4 Furthermore, as a citrus fruit, grapefruit is quite acidic and can cause enamel erosion.5
After eating, swish some water in your mouth.
4 DietaryTrends to Watch Out For
Juice
Cleanses
Fresh juices offer a variety of essential nutrients, but acidic ingredients like lemon, grapefruit and orange can erode your enamel.5 Juice cleanses are commonly done for gut health. While a juice cleanse can play a role in a balanced diet,1 too much juice is one of the contributing factors to enamel loss.2 Once enamel is gone, it never grows back.1
Drink juice with a straw to limit exposure to your teeth.
Alkaline Diets
What is an alkaline diet? This is a diet that consists of foods and beverages that are low in acid (aka alkaline, instead of acidic or neutral).3 Fruits and unsweetened fruit juice are key components of an alkaline diet.3 However, some citrus fruits like lemons and limes are alkaline-forming foods once ingested, but their acidity in the mouth can cause enamel erosion, especially citrus juices.6
Tip: Balancing a high-acidic diet with low-acid foods, like milk and yogurt, may help reduce enamel erosion.6
Infused Waters
Fruit-infused waters are both healthy and hydrating, but fruit-infused water can be bad for your teeth, since citrus fruits could lead to enamel erosion.5
Consider using low-acid fruits and flavorings such as cantaloupe and cucumber.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit is often touted as a weight-loss remedy, with claims that it contains fat-burning enzymes that can eliminate pounds.4 Most versions of this diet call for at least half a grapefruit with each meal, or grapefruit juice as a substitute.4 Furthermore, as a citrus fruit, grapefruit is quite acidic and can cause enamel erosion.5
After eating, swish some water in your mouth.
5 TIPS to Reduce Citrus Acid Erosion On Your Enamel
TIP 1
If drinking OJ, take it down in one sitting vs. sips over a longer period.
TIP 2
Use a straw to limit juice exposure on your teeth.
TIP 3
Match citric foods with less acidic ones, like grapefruit slices in a salad.
TIP 4
Wait a couple of hours before eating more acidic foods.
TIP 5
Swish some water (politely!) after every meal.
