Natural health experts and wellness influencers far and wide have long been touting the benefits of starting each day with a cup of warm lemon water. However, from a dental standpoint, this health habit has the possibility to wreak havoc on the enamel of your teeth.
As a Rexburg cosmetic dentistry office, one of the things we often see is people with eroded enamel for a number of reasons. More recently, well-meaning people are seeing the negative impacts of guzzling this acidic drink each morning.
Below you will find information about the positive and negative impacts of drinking lemon water, how cosmetic dentistry in Rexburg can help if you are already past the point of no return, and how to reap the benefits of the lemon water trend without the damage.
Drinking Lemon Water: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
So why are so many people drinking lemon water? Well, some of the health benefits are pretty stellar. According to Healthline, drinking a glass of warm lemon water can:
- Promote hydration. Some people don’t like the taste of just plain drinking water, adding a natural flavor enhancer, like lemon, can foster the habit of drinking more water. And hydration is key to any healthy lifestyle.
- Good source of Vitamin C. Lemons are a great source of vitamin C, which can improve your immune system, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
- Supports weight loss. Whether it’s the water or the lemon, research shows that people who drink lemon water have been shown to lose more weight.
- Aids in digestion. Drinking warm lemon water in the morning can help prevent constipation and get things moving in the morning. It also has been shown to fire up the digestive system.
- Freshens breath. Lemon stimulates saliva and water which prevents a dry mouth from happening, one of the leading causes of bad breath.
- Prevents kidney stones. Citrate, which is a component of citric acid, can break up small stones and can help to prevent kidney stones. Drinking the extra water also helps.
With so many amazing health benefits, it’s no wonder that people want to add this simple practice to their daily routine. But along with the good, comes the bad, which can quickly turn to ugly. Lemon, especially when taken with warm water daily, can do serious damage to the enamel of your teeth. Drinking this healthy concoction can erode the enamel of your teeth over time-something that can not be restored, but that can be fixed through cosmetic dentistry and changing up your daily habits. If you’re unsure if your lemon water habit (or other habits) have damaged your tooth enamel, here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Are your teeth sensitive to certain foods, like sweets? How about temperatures, like hot and cold?
- Are your teeth discolored or yellowing?
- Do you have any cracks or chips in your teeth?
- Have you noticed any cupping or indentations on the surface of your teeth?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, the enamel of your teeth has likely been worn down. Even though natural enamel can’t be restored once it’s gone, cosmetic dentistry in Rexburg can help to improve the appearance of your teeth.
Cosmetic Dentistry To The Rescue!
If your tooth enamel has been damaged by your lemon water habit or by a combination of other enamel eroding habits (fruit juice, soda, starchy foods, etc.) cosmetic dentistry can provide treatment to add strength to the damaged teeth while improving appearance. At our cosmetic dentistry office in Rexburg, the most common ways we repair teeth with eroded enamel is either with tooth bonding, veneers, or with a crown:
- Tooth Bonding. Tooth bonding is a treatment we often use for milder cases and depending on the extent of the damage (how many teeth have enamel erosion) this process usually takes less than an hour and can be done in just one appointment. During this Rexburg cosmetic dentistry procedure, resin, which is the same color as the tooth, is applied to the tooth and then cured with a special light. It is then formed and shaped to match the surrounding teeth.
- Veneers. For more extreme cases, veneers may need to be applied to the teeth. Unlike bonding, veneers are made out of porcelain and provide a type of full-coverage crown to the damaged tooth or teeth. This is an effective cosmetic dentistry procedure we use in Rexburg that can be used for the front teeth.
- Crowns. For more serious cases, and back teeth like molars, crowns are a great cosmetic dentistry solution to provide strength to teeth with weakened enamel. Crowns can either be made of a composite that is tooth-colored or metallic. Crowns, like veneers and bonding, can also help to prevent further damage from future tooth decay.
At our Rexburg cosmetic dentistry office, we see cases of eroded enamel all the time, the key to getting the best results is scheduling an appointment for a consultation to see if you’re a candidate for cosmetic dentistry in Rexburg. Call our office today to schedule your appointment!
Get The Most Out of Your Lemon Water Without The Damage
Do you still want to get the benefits of lemon water without the damage? Here are some tips to follow to keep your teeth healthy and safe while still getting the most out of your lemon water:
- Drink the lemon juice at either room temperature or with cold water rather than warm or hot water. The warm water can cause the acid to be more accessible to the teeth which can increase damage.
- Use a straw when you drink lemon water, or any acidic drink for that matter like coffee, soda, or juice. This way most of the liquid will bypass your teeth.
- After you drink your lemony beverage, rinse your mouth out with room temperature water, just water.
- Wait at least an hour to brush your teeth after drinking lemon water. Since acidic foods and drinks soften enamel, brushing right after can actually damage your teeth more.
- Try drinking lemon water just a few times a week rather than every day. You still get most of the benefits while avoiding ruining your teeth.
Contact our cosmetic dentistry office in Rexburg to schedule your next appointment today!
