Fruit Juices – What About Your Teeth?

One of the major causes of tooth erosion is consumption of fruit drinks. Fruit drinks and juices belong into “erosive drink category” according to ADA findings. Fruit drinks do belong into an area of 93% of drinks with pH level below 4.0 on an acidity/alkalinity scale. Find out how fruit juices harm your teeth, and which brands you should watch out for.

Why Are Fruit Juices Harmful to Your Teeth?

Cases of tooth erosion, or the non-bacterial damage of tooth enamel, has risen over the past couple of years. More dental professionals are seeing patient with this kind of damage. The enamel loss and increase in tooth sensitivity has been a pressing concern for dentist and patients. The lost enamel cannot be rebuilt and is lost forever.

There are variety of fruit juices in “Extremely Erosive” and “Erosive “category. The extremely erosive category is for pH levels below 3.0, while the erosive category is reserved for pH levels that are 3.0 – 3.99. There are plenty of these juices that are found on the market.

Fruit drinks in “Extremely erosive” category include lemon juice (the most acidic of all, with a pH of 2.25), varieties of Minute Maid, Ocean Spray, V8, Barber’s, Country Time, Crystal Light, Hi-C, Kool-Aid, Minute Maid, Snapple, Sobe, Tropicana and Welch’s.

Slightly better but still categorized as “erosive fruit drinks” include varieties of Amp, Dole, Minute Maid, Ocean Spray, Tropicana, V8, Welch’s, Boylan’s, CapriSun, Crystal Light, Fuze, Kool-Aid, Sesame Street, Sobe and Welch’s.

Bottom line, the best drink is natural water with neutral pH.  This is the ideal solution if you want to protect your enamel. Otherwise, you will suffer with teeth sensitivity. Individualized dental care can protect your teeth and treat symptoms you may have developed due to increased consumption of fruit drinks and fruit juices.

Check back in with us next week to find out how you can preserve your teeth.