OJ Worse For Teeth Than Whitening Agents

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DENTAL NEWS: A recent study done at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that the effects of 6% hydrogen peroxide --the common ingredient in professional and over-the-counter teeth whitening products-- are insignificant compared to acidic fruit juices.

Head researcher YanFang Ren, DDS, PhD and his team determined that the acid in orange juice markedly decreased hardness and increased roughness of tooth enamel. "The acid is so strong that the tooth is literally washed away," said Dr. Ren, whose findings were recently published in Journal of Dentistry. "The orange juice decreased enamel hardness by 84 percent." No significant change in hardness or surface enamel was found from (the) whitening agent.

Weakened and eroded enamel may speed up the wear of the tooth and increase the risk for tooth decay to quickly develop and spread. "Most soft drinks, including sodas and fruit juices, are acidic in nature," Dr. Ren said. "Our studies demonstrated that the orange juice, as an example, can potentially cause significant erosion of teeth."

"It's potentially a very serious problem for people who drink sodas and fruit juices daily," said Dr. Ren, who added that dental researchers nationwide are increasingly studying tooth erosion, and are investing significant resources into possible preventions and treatments. "We do not yet have an effective tool to avert the erosive effects, although there are early indications that higher levels of fluoride may help slow down the erosion."

Dr. Ren advises that consumers be aware of the acidic nature of beverages, including sodas, fruit juices, sports and energy drinks. The longer teeth are in contact with the acidic drinks, the more severe the erosion will be. People who sip their drinks slowly over 20 minutes are more likely to have tooth erosion than those who finish a drink quickly.


DENTAL VIEWS: Although it's not mentioned above, drinking acid-laden beverages with a straw also reduces the amount of erosion your teeth will suffer. In addition, my dentist told me to rinse my mouth out with water after every time I drink juice or soda (a.k.a. soda pop).