Don't Drink Fruit Smoothies Made with Added Sugar, Warn Dentists

Thursday, September 18, 2008 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer
Tags: smoothies, health news, Natural News

(NaturalNews) The head of the British Dental Health Foundation has warned that the high sugar content of some fruit smoothies, combined with acid from the fruits, can lead to serious tooth damage.

According to a survey conducted by Oral B and the British Dental Health Foundation, 30 percent of the population believes that drinking fruit smoothies is good for the teeth. But British Dental Health Foundation Chief Executive Nigel Carter warned that while fruit consumption is healthy for the body in general, certain smoothie ingredients are actually bad for your teeth.

"Fruit smoothies are becoming increasingly popular and the fruit content can make them seem like a good idea," Carter said. "However, they contain very high levels of sugar and acid and so can do a lot of damage to the teeth."

Many commercially available fruit smoothies contain added sugar - sometimes in the form of seemingly natural ingredients such as grape juice - or other additives, such as ascorbic acid. Smoothies made without these additives contain much lower levels of sugar and acid. It is these ingredients that Carter warned of.

"While fruit smoothies can be a good way to get people to consume more fruit, the high concentration of sugar and acids means that they can do real damage to the teeth if sipped throughout the day," Carter said. "Every time you sip on a fruit smoothie, your teeth are placed under acid attack for up to an hour, so constantly sipping on these drinks can cause the protective enamel to erode, causing pain and sensitivity. It can also lead to decay."

Dentists advise people who consume fruit drinks to brush their teeth before drinking them, rather than immediately afterward. The acid content of fruit juices can weaken enamel, and brushing teeth in this weakened state may cause permanent damage.

Sources for this story include: news.bbc.co.uk.