A nice cup of tea could ruin your teeth…

Professor Eder commented: “It’s not just the level of sugar that consumers have to worry about when it comes to choosing a hot drink on the run. The problem here relates to acidity, as this contributes to a type of tooth wear called erosion. Over an extended period of time, erosion can result in short and unattractive teeth, as well as rough or sensitive teeth. If left to continue its damaging course, teeth may require extensive and expensive restorative treatment further down the line.

“While black tea is relatively harmless, herbal and fruit teas are by their very nature made from vegetation other than the tea plant. To make an educated guess about whether your tea choice is erosive, consider its flavour. As a rule of thumb, the more sour the tea – take hibiscus, for example – the more acidic and therefore damaging to the teeth it is likely to be.