By Nicole Chiu - Contributing Health Journalist

Dentists of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) have published a study on the benefits of tea compared to soft drinks or citrus juices for reducing risks of tooth enamel erosion. This study involved comparing the long-term damage of soft drinks, citrus juices, green tea and black tea.

Both green and black tea were found to have no effects on tooth enamel erosion.

Soft drinks and citrus juices, however were found to have severe long-term erosive effects.

Dr. Mohamed A. Bassiouny, DMD, BDS, MSc, PhD, lead author of the study published in the July/August issue of General Dentistry, found the erosive effects of tea to be precisely the same as water, which has no erosive effect.

The study revealed that it did not matter whether the tea was hot or cold, as long as there were no other additions to the drink, such as sugar, lemon or milk. These are part of what makes soft drinks and citrus juices fail in comparison to tea as a safer option for healthy teeth.

In comparing the erosive effects between soft drinks – an average size these days being 20 ounces and containing 17 teaspoons of sugar – and citrus juices, the study found that citric acid is more erosive than hydrochloric or sulfuric acid.

The issue of tooth erosion is faced by dentists on a daily basis. Dr Kenton Ross, DMD, FAGD, AGD, a spokesperson from Dr. Bassiouny’s study, said, “This study clearly shows that brewed teas resulted in dramatically less enamel loss than soft drinks and acidic juices. I would highly recommend patients choose tea as an alternative to more erosive drinks like soda and fruit juice.”

“When we look at tea and read about the benefits, it’s amazing,” said Dr. Bassiouny, who also commented on some studies conducted in Japan and Europe, which found green tea to be superior to black tea for its abundance in antioxidants.

Thus green tea has not only benefit in terms of prevention of tooth enamel erosion, yet also benefits in terms of inner health.

If you really must drink citrus juices, however, some suggestions from the study included that you drink the juice through a straw, and rinse with water afterwards to neutralize the acids. Then, wait an hour before brushing so the pH balance remains neutral.

Chewing sugar-free gum is also helpful towards tooth enamel erosion as it helps to increase saliva flow in your mouth, which also helps to protect teeth.

Home-brewed tea, however, remains the least harmful, as well as nutritionally beneficial. Sure, water has its purposes in our daily diet, yet if you are out with friends at a café or restaurant, and you don’t feel like ordering plain normal water, then choose green tea – for your inner health and the health of your teeth.

Black tea is the other option, however only without milk, sugar or lemon.

Green tea is usually served without milk, sugar or lemon needed. Whether warm or iced, the benefits do remain, as the study led by Dr. Bassiouny has reported.

Frank Mangano's Commentary:

Here's another reason why you should add green tea to your list of beverages! Personally, I enjoy the taste of green tea and I consume several cups on a daily basis. I'm actually drinking a cup as I write this. If you don't like the taste, drink it anyway. Green tea provides far too many health benefits to be missed. Green tea has been shown to enhance immune function, lower cholesterol and even protect against certain cancers. Green tea is abundant in Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), which is a potent antioxidant.

As mentioned above, sugar-free gum can help guard your teeth. However, if you're using sugar-free gum, be sure to choose a brand that is naturally sweetened. I'm not talking about the commercially manufactured junk that's sold in candy stores. This stuff contains aspartame and should be avoided. Instead, try Spry gum, which is sweetened with xylitol. This is a natural sweetener that's actually beneficial for improving dental health.