1) Juice
Many parents would never think of giving their small children a can of cola but give them multiple cups of juice throughout the day. Juice may seem like a healthy alternative to soft drinks. However, fruit juice often contains more sugar than a can of soft drink. The fruit is better-served whole and give them water instead.
2) Lemon Water
Instagram and Facebook feed are overload with posts promoting the use of lemon water daily for your inner health. What you may not know is that lemons have a very low pH and drinking lemon water daily can cause irreversible damage to your teeth. In fact, lemon juice is comparable to the acidity of battery acid. The acidity strips the enamel and in turn, causes your teeth to be sensitive and more susceptible to decay. Once the enamel is eroded, it isn’t coming back!
3) Flavored Water
Flavored waters are being advertised everywhere from the latest Insta celebrities or hip-hop artists. However, these drinks are just a cheeky way of giving you acid and sometimes sugar when you don’t even realize it. Even the sugar-free flavored waters that are supposedly ‘good for you’ have a pH of 3 which is as low as soft drinks and can cause acid erosion to the teeth. Always remember to read the labels!
4) Energy Drinks
We’ve all heard the dangers that Energy Drinks can cause to our bodies. Filled with caffeine, chemicals and a pH of 2.6-3, energy drinks when consumed regularly can cause major damage to vital tooth structures.
5) Sports Drinks
Promoted as the go-to drinks for after workouts, sports drinks are high in sugar and have a low pH of 2-7 – 3.1. They are advertised to drink at a time when you are dehydrated or have dry mouth from exercising but it’s the worst time to consume them. After exercising, your mouth doesn’t have as much saliva present that is the natural buffer to sugar and acids so the sports drink you are consuming can cause major damage to your enamel through erosion, causing decay.
6) Wine
Wine is another highly acidic beverage (sorry ladies & gents). Most wines have a pH of 2.9 – 3.5, meaning a swig of red or white wine can erode your enamel.
