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CLAIM: A dental clinic’s instagram reel claims that acidic beverages like coffee, cokes, and juices are detrimental to your tooth enamel. It warns that lost enamel can never be restored and advises followers to always use a straw while consuming such drinks.
FACT: True. Both studies and dental experts confirm that acidic beverages erode tooth enamel over time. Enamel, once lost, cannot be regenerated naturally. However, there is a catch. The risk of this damage is linked to frequent and long-term consumption rather than occasional drinking. Experts recommend reducing the consumption frequency, rinsing with water after drinking, and using a straw as additional protective measures.
A reel on instagram plays a clip from the popular Netflix show, Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, where a character, Shalini Passi, drinks her champagne with a straw while hanging out with her friends. Her friends tease her for the unusual habit, calling her an “ajeeb auraat” (a weird lady) for sipping champagne through a straw.
The reel claims that sipping acidic drinks like coke, coffee or juices directy are very detrimental to the enamel of the teeth. “Once the enamel is gone, it is gone forever. And there is no way to get it back.”
She advises the audience to have iced lattes and cokes with a straw. “Coffee, soft drinks, juices and other acidic beverages can slowly cause the wearing out of teeth over time. Since enamel doesn’t grow back, protecting it is always a good idea,” the caption reads.
What do studies say
A 2022 study analysed the erosive effect of acidic beverages on 190 extracted human teeth. Researchers tested nine substances: three commercially available fruit juices, three carbonated drinks, and three dietary preservatives. They were analysed at time intervals of 12, 24, 28 and 96 days to measure weight loss and surface damage.
The study found that all acidic beverages cause some degree of tooth damage, but the extent varied by drink. “Overall the maximum demineralizing effect was caused by vinegar and apple cider. In the fruit juices category, lemon juice induced significant changes, while in the carbonated drinks category, Coca-Cola induced the maximum changes, and in the category of food preservatives, vinegar induced the maximum changes. Severe discoloration was seen with respect to Coca-Cola, followed by Mountain Dew (carbonated drink),” the study found.
The study concluded that people should reduce both the frequency of acidic beverage consumption and the amount of time these drinks remain in the mouth. It also recommended that regular fluoride application and the use of mouth rinses after consuming acidic drinks would help in neutralising acidity in the mouth.
A 2025 study examined whether acidified drinking water, which is commonly used in research laboratories, damages tooth enamel. Researchers gave mice water at varying acidity levels (pH 2.5 or 3.0) for one and three months, to measure the enamel damage and jaw bone density at regular intervals.
The study noted that after one month of drinking water exposure, no statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in enamel erosion or bone mineral density. “However, after 3 months, a significant difference in enamel erosion for the pH 2.5 group compared with the other groups was identified, suggesting a potentially destructive process,” the study reported.
What are the dentists suggesting?
Dr Vimala Sukumaran, Dentist at Zynova Shalby Hospital, Mumbai, confirmed that acidic beverages pose a risk to tooth enamel. “These beverages tend to expose teeth to more acid, which can then weaken and erode tooth enamel,” she said, adding that using a straw would help reduce direct contact of the drink with the teeth, lowering the risks of enamel erosion.
“Enamel erosion happens on a permanent basis, as the tooth enamel cannot naturally regenerate once it is lost.” Dr Sukumaran said. “However, early damage can be managed through fluoride treatments and good oral hygiene to prevent further erosion.”
She, however, pointed out that all acidic drink consumption is not equally harmful. “Enamel erosion is linked to frequent and even long-term exposure to acidic beverages instead of occasional consumption,” Dr Sukumaran said, adding that having an acidic drink occasionally without a straw would not be a major concern if good oral hygiene is maintained. “ We must rinse the mouth with water after consuming acidic beverages as an additional protective measure.”
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