As juice diets are all the rage these days and more people jumping on the latest trend, dentists have begun seeing a surge in cases of decrease in tooth enamel caused by acid in these 'juicers'.
Drinking fruit juice is not only done to aid in losing weight and detoxification, but it's believed to help lower the chances of cancer, heart diseas and even Alzheimer's.
While people who substitute meals with the juice drinks will be able to garner concentrated amounts of vitamins and nutrients found in the fruits themselves, it has been found that it's not entirely safe and beneficial, and can even harm the teeth in various ways.
When consumed in excessive amounts, fruit juices can wear down tooth enamel over time. This causes cavities, sensitive teeth and in the long run, loss of your pearly whites.
Dentists are concerned with the rise of this new health craze as the main sources of acids in our diet are fruit juices and fizzy drinks.
"Juice from fruits has a high acid content and can damage the enamel of your teeth in exactly the same way that a fizzy drink does," says Dr Uchenna Okoye, of London Smiling dental practice.
The sugar found in the blended mixtures have direct contact with one's teeth and even feed the bacteria in the mouth, which then leads to tooth decay.
"Before it was sports drinks and fizzy drinks. Now, with people who are 40-odd, juice diets are becoming popular as they want to look younger." Dr. Okoye added, "Many do not realise by drinking fruit juice they are essentially rubbing sugar over the inside of their mouths."
Those who are under the juice diet should maintain proper dental hygiene.
"If you’re going to drink juices, always use a straw. Never brush your teeth straight after drinking, as the teeth are weakened by the exposure to acid," Dr. Okoye suggested.
Fruit in itself doesn't rot the teeth, but not brushing your teeth for instance and not getting the right amount of nutrients from a proper diet can lead to dental issues, despite drinking too much fruit juices or not.
