Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Citric Acid and What It Does To Enamel

We mentioned in a previous post to stay away from foods with citric acid such as limes, lemons, and oranges. We did some more research and there are actually a lot of foods that have a lot of citric acid in them such as wine, soda, sports drinks, and pickles. Here are a couple things to help keep your enamel intact.

1. Wait around 30 minutes after you have eaten something with citric acid in it, to brush your teeth. When you have eaten something with citric acid, it softens the outer layer of enamel and if you brush vigorously when it is soft you will scrub away your tooth enamel.
2. Use toothpaste specifically for helping strengthen your enamel when you brush.
3. Drink lots of water when you are eating these types of foods because it helps to neutralize the acid.
4. Try to cut back on the amount of soda you drink. If you must drink soda try to drink it during dinner because your body naturally produces more saliva which will help to neutralize the effects of the citric acid. Also try drinking root beer specifically, since it has less citric acid than most other sodas. Bubbly water is also a good option, although it still contains citric acid.


Try using these tips next time you find yourself eating a ton of citric acid. Enamel doesn’t come back and it protects against cavities so in effect makes it so you get less fillings! Very important.

-Amanda and Erik

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