A glass of fruit juice can count as one of the five portions of fruit and vegetables we are all recommended to consume each day. If fruit juice is consumed with a meal, it has no more effect on the teeth than the rest of the food consumed. Any acid in the food or drink consumed can be buffered by saliva in the mouth. In addition, the vitamin C in fruit juice can help increase the uptake of minerals such as iron from foods that contain them, if the two are consumed together. Research shows that 93 per cent of fruit juice consumption is at mealtimes. (BSDA Consumer Research: Children’s Consumption of Soft Drinks (December 2008)) Dentists advise that consuming fruit juice through a straw will also reduce its impact on teeth. It is possible that extreme consumption habits might have some adverse impact on dental health, but a dentist can give individual advice to a patient who might be affected in this way.
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