Tasty & Healthy

The Hidden Dangers of Fruit Smoothies

The delicious smoothies are rich in fruit, but they can also cause severe damage to your teeth

By Monica Gaza, Life & Style Editor

20th of May 2008, 12:21 GMT

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How many of you ever imagined that the innocent fruit smoothies could possibly present a very serious hidden danger? No, it's not a deadly chemical hidden in the ice cream or yogurt that go into the smoothie itself, but rather the effect such drinks have on our teeth. Recent studies conducted in Britain have shown that with the latest surge in the popularity of the fruit smoothies, we're on the verge of a veritable epidemic of tooth decay.

This may come as a shock for those of you who decided to replace the very unhealthy fizzy drinks with delicious combinations of fresh yogurt, ice cream and liberal amounts of fruit. Of course, this is perfectly true as far as the nutritional aspect of the matter is concerned and it's always better to ingest a tasty dose of fruit than a glass of fizzy coke or any other synthetic drink. However, few of us considered the impact of fruit smoothies on the teeth of the adults and especially the young children who enjoy sipping them on a daily basis.

"Fruit smoothies are becoming increasingly popular and the fruit content can make them seem like a good idea. However, they contain very high levels of

Smoothies are delicious treats, but they also put your teeth at great risk

sugar and acid and so can do a lot of damage to the teeth", explained Dr. Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation. "Latest scientific research has found strong links between oral health and a range of serious health conditions including heart disease, strokes, diabetes and low birth weight babies", he added.

The problem with smoothies doesn't only come from the fact that they contain a lot of acid, but also from the fact that we often sip on them throughout the day, intensifying the action of the sugar and acids. "Smoothies can be a good way to get people to consume more fruit, but the high levels of sugar and acids means that they can do real damage if sipped throughout the day. While sipping the drink your teeth are placed under a serious acid attack for up to an hour. Constantly sipping on these drinks can cause the protective enamel to erode leading to pain, sensitivity and decay", Dr. Carter pointed out.

The solution is to drink fruit smoothies only at mealtimes and reduce the amount of sugar that goes into them to the point where you can actually enjoy a sugar-free smoothie. Also, don't brush your teeth immediately after drinking them, as this will cause further damage to the protective enamel.

TAGS:

fruit smoothies | teeth decay | acid | sugar | epidemic

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