Do you know what's really bad for your teeth? Fruit tea!

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Scientists at King's College London have discovered that certain foods and drinks are particularly bad for your teeth - not because of their sugar content but because they contain high levels of acid that erode tooth enamel. Particularly bad in this context are fruit-flavoured teas including rosehip, berry and ginger and lemon. Sugar-free soft drinks are also a problem, as are salt and vinegar crisps, again due to their high acid content. Apparently, drinking a fruit tea - or even just hot water with lemon - between meals can increase your chance of developing tooth erosion by up to 11 times. When it is consumed as part of a meal the risk is halved. It appears that one difficulty is that people enjoy these treats too much - instead of swallowing the tea they tend to let it linger in the mouth so that the full flavor can be enjoyed. I have to say that my own recent dental problems cannot be laid at the door of either fruit tea or salt and vinegar crisps, neither of which form part of my diet! What about you?