Did you know that acid wear can make teeth look GREY and can make the UN-WHITENABLE!
Yep just made that word up 🤣
Acid removes minerals from your enamel (the outer layer of teeth) making it more translucent and this makes them look grey!
Without this mineral content, there’s not a lot left to whiten. This is why whitening doesn’t work well on teeth with significant acid damage.
How can we prevent this?
- Drink acidic drinks like lemon water, orange juice, soft drinks and sports drinks (and if you’re game, wine too 😬) through a straw to minimise contact with teeth.
- Rinse with water after eating or drinking anything acidic. This includes chewable vitamin C tablets and berries! Sneaky, sneaky acid wear!
- DO NOT BRUSH for at least 30-60 minutes after eating or drinking something acidic. Acid softens enamel.If you brush straight away, you will remove healthy enamel.
- Minimise frequency of intake. If you are sipping lemon water all day, it is much more damaging than smashing back a litre in 2 minute. Why? Because it exposes enamel to acid for extended periods of time.
- Try to only consume acidic foods and drinks around meal times. We produce more saliva when we are eating a meal. Saliva helps to buffer the acid attack and protect teeth.
Let’s learn about dental health. Once we have a great foundation, cosmetic work becomes a breeze!