Lemons Can Hurt Your Teeth

Cold lemonade on a hot day...  Lemon in hot tea on a cold day... They may both sound good to you, but your teeth may not agree. Lemons and lemon juice have a very high acid content which can irritate your gums and wear away the enamel on your teeth, leading to dental erosion. 

You can enjoy your lemons and still take care of your teeth. Some tips include: drink acidic beverages with a straw, to minimize their contact with your teeth and drink water after you eat to help to wash away the acid.

Another thing to do, which may seem counterintuitive, is to wait an hour or so after eating or drinking acidic food before you brush your teeth. Abrasive materials contained in some toothpastes may damage your enamel, which gets weakened by the acid.

Of course, your dentist can check for signs of dental erosion.