Citrus fruits and dental erosion

Slices of pink grapefruit, lime, lemon and ora...
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It's a known fact that Vitamin C is very effective as an anti-aging nutrient; the intake of vitamin C aids in the production of collagen which greatly reduces varying signs of aging, such as the wrinkles on your face and even the sagging of the skin. It also works as a powerful anti-oxidant, helping your skin fight against free radicals that destroy the natural beauty of the skin.A great source of vitamin C are oranges, grapefruit, lemon and other citrus fruits. As a matter of fact, instead of relying on anti-aging creams, eating an orange everyday can keep your skin taut and youthful.



soda But consuming too much of citrus fruits isn't a very good idea; it can lead to various other problems as well. A research has warned people to beware of the damage that acidic content of beverages, such as soda; lemon, grapefruit and orange juice; green and black tea have on teeth and as a consequence of which teeth suffer from dental erosion.


According to Wikipedia, dental erosion, is the irreversible loss of tooth structure due to chemical dissolution by acids not of bacterial origin. It is further mentioned that the most common cause of erosion is by acidic foods and drinks, such as soft drinks and fruit drinks, wine and carbonated drinks such as colas. Even over-chlorinated waters of a swimming pool pose a risk to the teeth. 3D Mouth website says "Acids in the mouth can dissolve away tooth surfaces. Given the chance, teeth will repair themselves, using minerals from saliva. But if acid is in the mouth too often, teeth cannot repair themselves and the hard tooth surface (the enamel) becomes thinner - this is called 'erosion'. The teeth can then become extra sensitive to hot and cold food and drink. Eroded teeth can also be more likely to suffer decay."
It lists some key tips to prevent erosion



  • Try and avoid consuming acidic food and / or drink too often during the day. Try to have them only at mealtimes.


  • Drink acidic drinks quickly - don't sip them. And don't swish them round your mouth.


  • Because acids temporarily soften the tooth surface, don't brush your teeth immediately after eating or drinking something acidic.


  • You should brush your teeth twice a day, and always use a fluoride toothpaste. More...

    Mohamed A. Bassiouny, DMD, MSc., PhD, in the May/June 2009 issue of General Dentistry advises those who are experiencing tooth erosion to first, identify the culprit source of erosion, possibly with the help of a dental professional and discuss to implement measures to control and prevent further damage.


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    12 comments:

    1. unknown5:21 PM

      Tooth erosion is caused by acidic foods and drinks 'dissolving' away the surface of the tooth. It is becoming increasingly more common, especially due to greater consumption of fizzy drinks - including 'diet' brands

      ReplyDelete
    2. Anonymous5:33 PM

      Prevention is essential, to stop the erosion becoming worse. There are several things you can do: Diet: cut down on acidic foods and drinks, especially fruit-based soft and fizzy drinks. Restrict them to mealtimes when saliva levels are high and help neutralise the acids
      Use a daily fluoride mouth rinse (make sure it is pH neutral - see manufacturers label)
      Good oral hygiene. However, DO NOT clean your teeth immediately after a fruit juice or other acidic drink - the teeth are softer following the contact with the acid, and brushing them will literally scrub away the surface

      ReplyDelete
    3. Chaitanya8:09 AM

      Hey buddy your blog is lovely.keep up the good work.

      ReplyDelete
    4. I always experience pain on my teeth after eating acidic food like citrus fruits or sour candies. Now I know why. My teeth erode because of the acids that I'm taking in. By the way, would you care for a link exchange? Your topic is almost the same as mine, so I'm thinking that your blog will be useful for my readers as well. Linked you up already, I hope you'll link me up too. Thank you so much!

      ReplyDelete
    5. Shreyasi4:52 PM

      Thank you! Nice article

      ReplyDelete
    6. Love your beauty and health news & blogs! It's very helpful =)

      ReplyDelete
    7. Abhay9:40 AM

      Hey this is really really good advice :-)

      ReplyDelete
    8. Great advice. What we eat is key in healthy teeth and gums. Cleaning is important but secondary. You have to have the right nutrition to build healthy teeth

      ReplyDelete
    9. Harsh8:31 AM

      Great post! Wonderful!

      ReplyDelete
    10. Leela6:09 PM

      Very informative and useful post. Thanks for sharing to all such wonderful information. Thanks again.

      ReplyDelete
    11. Mash some fresh strawberries and use as you would any other "tooth paste"
      Using fresh sage leaves, rub over the teeth to clean and whiten.

      ReplyDelete
    12. good advices, i will do your saying.
      thank you.

      ReplyDelete

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