Many of my clients ask about the hazards of drinking juices and the effect it has on their teeth. Here are a few bits of information for you to ponder over:
1. Dr Peter Alldritt, chairman of the Australian Dental Association's oral health committee,states that sometimes brushing too soon after drinking juices can damage your teeth.
"Fruits, particularly lemons or pineapples, all have a reasonable level of acidity in them and what they do is soften the enamel," he said. "If you then go and brush your teeth straight away you're going to damage the softened enamel." Waiting to brush for at least 30 minutes gives your mouth time to produce enough saliva to neutralize the acidity, Alldritt says. This saliva helps your teeth to harden and absorb more calcium, which then acts like a coat of armour. "Saliva contains calcium and phosphate ions and teeth also contain these ions, so saliva acts as a reservoir of calcium and phosphate for your teeth," he said. "Saliva also contains enzymes and buffers which neutralize acid and return the pH of your mouth to neutral over time."
It is recommended after you juice you rinse your mouth out with water to allow the natural saliva to do its work in neutralising the acidity and brushing your teeth half an hour later.
An alternative is to drink through a straw or to drink your juice in a reasonable manner and not let it stay in the mouth for too long.
Do keep in mind most of the juices on the plan have vegetables included which helps in keeping down the acidity level of the juice. And, although acidic in nature, once broken down by the body the juices are alkaline in the body.
Happy Juicing
Julie
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