Although the thought of an acid in your mouth is unsettling, 20-to-45-percent of adults in the United States show signs of acid erosion on their teeth.
“The exposure of our teeth to an acid can cause loss of enamel and eventually the dentin or inner layer of the tooth, creating significant problems,” said Paul Boyd, D.M.D., clinical associate professor, UofL School of Dentistry.
He explains two categories of acid that affect the mouth: extrinsic and intrinsic acids.
The most common extrinsic source of acid comes from food and beverages with a pH of less than 4, where 7 is a neutral pH level. Lemon juice, wines, sport drinks, sodas, oranges, some teas, vinegar, apple juice, tomatoes, cherries and pickles are all examples of food and drink items with high acid.
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