It’s easy to see that two of the Internet’s favorite topics are beauty and health. Many blogs and social media posts focus on fad diets, new exercise methods, health-boosting products, and more. However, did you know this coverage includes popular trends that are bad for your teeth? Often without knowing it, some people sacrifice their smiles in the quest for a better body. To keep that from happening to you, avoid these three trendy things in the future.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Supporters of apple cider vinegar say it has health benefits—from curing upset stomachs and sore throats to lowering cholesterol and body weight. Unfortunately, drinking it will likely ruin your teeth.
The problem is that apple cider vinegar has high acidity. Its low pH value allows it to dissolve tooth enamel quickly. As a result, leaving it on your teeth raises your chance of cavities and enamel loss. With time, the vinegar could even erode existing dental work.
Lemon Juice Detox
Several lemon juice detoxes, including the Master Cleanse, claim to cleanse the body of toxins and can help you lose twenty pounds in just ten days. All you have to do is drink a “lemonade” made of fresh lemon or lime juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and water.
As it turns out, the ingredients for this so-called “cleanse” are awful for oral health. Lemon juice is a powerful acid, and maple syrup is very sugary. Therefore, this mixture would expose your enamel to acids from both the drink and sugar-consuming bacteria.
Even worse, the cleanse requires a liquid-only diet. That means you wouldn’t do any chewing, something that helps produce bacteria-fighting saliva. Consequently, your teeth would be even more vulnerable to the lemon juice’s acids.
Sparkling Water
At least at first glance, you might not think sparkling water is an issue. It’s water, after all! While it might have some bubbles, it doesn’t have the chemicals found in stuff like soda.
Those bubbles, though, are the problem. Like soft drinks, sparkling water is carbonated and thus has carbonic acid. This acid, as you might imagine by now, erodes enamel and causes tooth decay. The effects get even stronger if the water’s been flavored, meaning there’s citric acid in it too.
Don’t let body improvements come at the cost of your smile. Instead, try alternatives to the above trends that’ll strengthen your teeth along with the rest of you.
About the Author
Dr. Eric Buck is a dentist in Dublin, OH, having earned his DDS from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry. He is involved in the American Dental Association, the Ohio Dental Association, and the Columbus Dental Society. His treatment services include preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, not to mention emergency dental treatments. Dr. Buck currently practices at Distinctive Smiles of Dublin and can be reached at his website or by phone at (614)-792-1800.