Acidic Foods and Your Tooth Enamel

Acid in what you eat and drink can soften tooth enamel, and over time that softening can wear enamel away. Whether a food is a problem for your teeth depends on how acidic it is while it sits in your mouth, how often you have it and how long it stays on your teeth. Many foods that appear on “acidic foods” diet charts, such as ham, eggs and cheese, are not the ones that wear down enamel. Citrus, soda, sports drinks, wine, vinegar and sour candy are much more likely to.

This guide from the Timonium office of Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS explains how acid affects enamel, clears up the confusion about which foods are acidic, and covers the everyday habits and dental care that help protect your teeth.

How acid wears down tooth enamel

Enamel is the hard, mineral-rich outer layer of each tooth. It feels permanent, but its surface is constantly changing. When acid touches enamel, the surface loses some of its minerals and softens. Saliva then goes to work, washing the acid away, neutralizing it and helping minerals return to the tooth.

That repair takes time. If acid keeps arriving before saliva can catch up, the softened surface starts to wear away with chewing and brushing. Once enamel is thin, the softer dentin underneath is exposed. Dentin wears more quickly, can make teeth sensitive to cold and sweets, and gives teeth a more yellow look because it shows through.

Acid reaches your teeth in two ways. It can come straight from food and drinks, or it can be made by plaque bacteria as they feed on sugar and starch. Both kinds matter, which is why the sugar in your diet is part of the same story. Read are all carbs created equal for your teeth?

“Acidic” on a diet chart is not the same as acidic on your teeth

Much of the confusion comes from two different ideas that share one word.

• How acidic a food is in your mouth. This is measured on the pH scale, where 7 is neutral and lower numbers are more acidic. This is what matters for enamel: a sour, tart or fizzy food bathes your teeth in acid while you eat or sip it.
• Whether a food is “acid-forming” in the body. Some nutrition charts label foods as acidic based on what they leave behind after digestion. Meat, eggs, fish and cheese often appear on these lists, even though they don’t taste sour and don’t bathe your teeth in acid.

For your teeth, the first idea is the one to pay attention to. A food that is “acid-forming” on a diet chart is not necessarily hard on enamel.

Is sour cream acidic? Is ham acidic?

Sour cream, yogurt and other cultured dairy

Sour cream is mildly acidic. It is made by culturing cream, and that culturing gives it its tangy taste. Plain yogurt, buttermilk and kefir are similar. Even so, these foods are generally not considered a major enamel concern, especially eaten as part of a meal. Plain dairy foods such as cheese are commonly thought of as tooth-friendly choices. The bigger issue with yogurt is usually the sugar added to flavored varieties, which feeds plaque bacteria.

Ham and other meats

Ham is often listed as an acidic food because meat is “acid-forming” in diet charts, and fresh meat is only slightly acidic in itself. It is not a food dentists usually worry about for enamel erosion. The dental issues with ham and other meats are more practical: fibers that wedge between teeth and glazes or sauces that add sugar.

Eggs, fish, chicken and butter

These also show up on acid-forming lists, but they don’t bathe your teeth in acid the way citrus or soda does. There is no dental reason to cut healthy foods like these from your diet.

Foods and drinks that are harder on enamel

These are the choices worth noticing, especially if you have them often or sip them slowly:

• Soda, regular and diet, which adds acid and, in regular soda, sugar. Read soda spells double trouble for teeth and gums.
• Sports and energy drinks, which are often both acidic and sweet.
• Citrus fruits and juices, including lemon water sipped through the day.
• Wine, both red and white.
• Vinegar and pickled foods, including vinegar-based salad dressings.
• Sour candy, which combines acid with sugar that clings to teeth. Read why gummy bears hurt your teeth.
• Flavored sparkling waters and teas with added citrus, which can be more acidic than they taste.

None of this means you can never have an orange or a glass of wine. How you have them matters just as much.

Habits that matter more than the menu

• Keep acidic foods and drinks with meals. Saliva flow is higher while you eat, and a single exposure is easier on enamel than a steady trickle.
• Don’t sip for hours. A soda, juice or lemon water nursed all afternoon keeps your teeth in acid the whole time.
• Follow with water. A drink or rinse of plain water helps clear acid from your teeth.
• Wait before brushing. Brushing right after something acidic can scrub softened enamel. Rinse with water first and give saliva time to work before you brush.
• Use a straw for acidic drinks, which can reduce contact with your front teeth.
• Brush gently. Hard scrubbing adds to wear. Read smart brushing beats aggressive brushing.

Acid that doesn’t come from food

Diet isn’t the only source. Stomach acid from frequent heartburn or reflux, and from repeated vomiting, including morning sickness during pregnancy, can also wear enamel, often on the inner surfaces of the teeth. If you have these problems, mention them to your physician and to the dental team. Dry mouth matters too: with less saliva, acid lingers longer. Decay rates increase with age, and medications and dry mouth can set the stage for root decay. Read oral health during pregnancy.

Signs your enamel may be wearing

• Sensitivity to cold, heat or sweets
• Front teeth with edges that look thin or see-through
• Teeth that look more yellow than they used to
• Small dips or cupped areas on the chewing surfaces
• Fillings that seem to stand higher than the tooth around them

These signs can have other causes, from a cavity to receding gums, so it is worth an exam. Read sensitive teeth: causes and treatment.

How the practice helps protect and repair enamel

Finding wear early

Intraoral cameras zoom in on each section of your mouth so you can see what Dr. Haywood sees, digital X-rays appear on screen right away, and DIAGNOdent laser detection can find decay at its earliest stages, sometimes before it shows on an X-ray.

Strengthening enamel without fluoride

For anyone who prefers to avoid fluoride, the practice offers calcium rebuilding treatments instead, to help strengthen enamel for patients of all ages. Xylitol mints and lollipops also help reduce decay risk.

Sealing and guarding

Super sealants seal the pits and fissures of the chewing surfaces and come with a lifetime warranty. If grinding is adding to the wear, comfortable, clear bite guards custom-made for you help protect your teeth, because grinding and clenching wear enamel and can crack teeth.

Cleanings and repairs

Cleaning appointments last a full 60 minutes, and a professional cleaning every six months is recommended. Where enamel has already been lost, tooth-colored, mercury-free composite fillings bond to the tooth and blend in. See general dentistry in Timonium and dental cleanings and preventive care.

Paying for your visit

The practice is out of network with all dental insurance providers. You pay at the time of your visit, and the office files the claim on your behalf so your plan can reimburse you for whatever it covers. Health savings and flex plans are welcome, and financing is available through CareCredit, with no-interest options for up to 12 months, and Cherry, with plans from 3 to 24 months. See financing options.

Frequently asked questions

Is sour cream bad for your teeth?

Not usually. Sour cream is mildly acidic because it is cultured, but it is generally not a major concern for enamel, particularly as part of a meal. Frequent sipping of acidic or sugary drinks is a much bigger worry.

Are acid-forming foods like ham bad for teeth?

“Acid-forming” describes what a food leaves behind after digestion, not how acidic it is on your teeth. Ham, eggs and fish are not foods dentists typically worry about for enamel erosion.

Can enamel grow back?

Enamel that has worn away does not grow back. Early softening can recover as saliva returns minerals to the surface, and calcium rebuilding treatments help strengthen enamel. Enamel that is already lost can be restored with dental work such as tooth-colored fillings.

Should I brush right after drinking something acidic?

It is better to rinse with water first and wait before brushing, so you don’t scrub enamel while it is softened.

Protect your enamel with a visit in Timonium

If your teeth feel more sensitive or look different than they used to, an exam can show whether acid wear is part of the picture. Request an appointment or call (410) 453-9399. The office of Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS is at 108 W Timonium Rd, Ste 200, Timonium, MD 21093, serving Timonium, Lutherville, Cockeysville, Towson and Hunt Valley. New patients are always welcome.