Acidic food and drink can damage teeth

Eating fruit such as apples could be up to four times more damaging to teeth than carbonated drinks, according to a new study led by Professor David Bartlett at the King's Dental Institute. Published in the Journal of Dentistry , the study looked at links between diet and tooth wear at several sites in the mouth, in more than 1,000 men and women aged 18 to 30. The researchers looked for damage to the 2mm surface enamel of volunteers' teeth, and at the dentine, the main supporting structure of the tooth beneath the enamel, and compared it with a questionnaire about their diet. The findings showed that people who ate apples were 3.7 times more likely to have dentine damage, while those who consume carbonated drinks had no additional risk. Fruit juice increased the likelihood of damage to the enamel around the top of the teeth near the gums fourfold, while lager, which is acidic, raised the chances of dentine damage by up to three times. Professor David Bartlett, Head of Prosthodontics at the Dental Institute, said: 'It is not only about what we eat, but how we eat it. 'Doctors quite rightly say that eating apples is good, but if you eat them slowly the high acidity levels can damage your teeth.