How to Protect Your Teeth from Acid Wear

Cut down on acidic beverages. Reduce or eliminate your consumption of soda pops and soft drinks, fruit juices and wine. Large amounts of these beverages are not healthy for you for many reasons, so not only your teeth will benefit from reduced consumption, but also your nutrition status and your body's overall health. So-called "sports drinks" in particular contain large amounts of citric acid. Avoid grazing through the day. If you enjoy nibbling on food all day long, you may be endangering your teeth. The best solution is to ensure that the foods that you consume are either low in acidity or are combined with foods able to counteract the acidity and reduce your need for the acidic food. For example, consuming nuts with fruit or cheese with carrots may be one way to reduce the effects of acid wear. Nuts and dairy foods are considered helpful balancers to acidic foods. Avoid brushing your teeth for one hour after consuming acidic food and drink. While this may seem counter-intuitive, acidic foods and drink soften the tooth enamel and leave it prone to damage from brushing. Wait an hour before brushing.[4] It is also very important not to over brush your teeth any time; too much brushing is abrasive and wears down your teeth. Rely on dental floss and toothpicks in between morning and evening brushing.

Belinda