Adding a
slice of lemon or lime can greatly improve the taste of plain ol’ water, but
the benefits far supersede that. Lemon is a very healthy fruit that provides a
wide variety of nutrients (including Vitamin C, citric acid, potassium,
calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and pectin, and it is also rich in antioxidants).
It is known for several health benefits including aiding digestion, boosting
immune system, reducing inflammation, freshening breath and much more. Some
beauty gurus swear by daily cups of lemon water, which they believe will make
their skin clear and bright.
But there
are always two sides to the coin. Lemon and lime have many benefits, but being
acidic in nature, they are corrosive to your teeth enamel. Your teeth will
become more sensitive and crone to cavities, and may eventually appear
hollowed. Some complex dental works will be required to restore some functions
to your teeth.
When your enamel erodes, your teeth become sensitive and
more prone to cavities. They also become yellower and may eventually appear
hollowed. If that happens, you’ll need some serious and expensive dentistry.
In all fairness, lemon/lime juice are not the only corrosive
drinks. Ice lemon tea, cider, orange juice, even coke, all have acidic PH
values. http://www.21stcenturydental.com/ph_drinks.html
is a comprehensive listing of drinks and their PH values. Anything below the PH
of 5.5 has the potential to cause tooth enamel corrosion. Lemon and lime juice
are between PH values 2 and 3.
That doesn’t mean you should stop drinking lemon/lime. There
are some simple methods to inhibit or neutralise the acidic effects of these
fruits.
1)
Use a drinking straw. The liquid travels to the
back of your throat, thus sparing your teeth.
2)
Rinse your mouth with water right after drinking
and eating anything. Water is of neutral pH and can help neutralise the acidity
in your mouth. If you’re not using a drinking straw, do not graze over your
juice (or acidic fruits like apples). Finish it up as soon as possible and
rinse your mouth so you can get the acid out.
3) Consume dairy products, or regular plain water right after consuming your
juice. Both are alkaline and help bring up the pH levels.
4) Do not brush your teeth for at least one hour after consuming acidic food
and beverage. Your tooth paste can thin the softened enamel. If you can’t wait
for an hour, instead of brushing your teeth, you can floss it and rinse with
water.
So yes, it is possible to have your lemon and drink it too!
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