The outermost layer of your teeth is known as enamel. It is the hardest and strongest structure in our body but with bad eating and lifestyle habit, it can grow weak over time.
If you have been told you have enamel erosion, the best thing you can do to preserve your tooth health is to limit your intake of sugary and acidic beverages.
Choosing healthy drinks that help to remineralize your tooth and prevent enamel destruction can save you the trouble of tooth decay in the future.
Milk
Although fresh milk is slightly acidic with a pH of 6.7, it is one of the best drinks to protect and fortify your dental enamel.
Dairy products are excellent for your teeth for several reasons. No. 1, they are high in calcium which is one of the key substances found in enamel. If you detect signs of enamel erosion, you should start drinking milk with meals so that your weakened enamel may be mineralized before the erosion become so bad it cannot regenerate.
In addition, people who drink milk after eating sweet cereal have the lowest levels of acid in their mouth 35 minutes after eating.
Water
Plain water is just as good for enamel preservation as milk. Although water does not contain calcium, most public water supplies are fortified with fluoride which can help remineralize your enamel.
In addition, since water does not contain any sugars or acids, it poses no threat of tooth decay. Plain water also has a pH of 7.0 which is perfectly neutral. This means that if you drink water after having a sugary dessert, it can neutralize some of the acids in your mouth and reduce the risk of a cavity.
Green Tea
Green tea without sugar is also a good option for maintaining tooth health. Some studies show that drinking green teeth daily can reduce the risk of gum disease since it has antioxidant properties. Specifically, green tea contains catechin, a type of antioxidant that treated bacterial inflammation.
In addition, green tea also has a high amount of polyphenols and fluoride which can help keep your enamel hard and strong.
Although you should consider drinking more of these non-acidic drinks, there will be times when you crave a soda, coffee, or a shake. That’s alright since you do not need to cut these drinks out of your life entirely. You can enjoy them in moderation along with your meal. Additionally, you can use a straw so that the beverage does not have a lot of contact with your teeth and rinse your mouth at the end of each meal.
If you suspect you are enamel erosion, contact us today at (650) 948-5524.