How to drink water with lemon and preserve your tooth enamel

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Update, July 2021: If you are interested in having a healthy mouth, you may want to read this: Swishing with salt water reduces gum disease. I also want to mention the toothpaste I now use that strengthens tooth enamel, Boka Natural Toothpaste.

I recently became aware that one of my healthy habits was having a deleterious effect on my teeth, so I did some online research and am posting this to help others make healthier choices.

Benefits of drinking water with lemon

Drinking water with fresh lemon juice squeezed into it is touted as a very beneficial health practice. I googled “water with lemon” and found these top links (and many more):

Screen Shot 2016-06-26 at 10.53.21 AMIn short, water with lemon aids digestion, provides nutrients (Vitamin C, citric acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and pectin), boosts your immune system, strengthens liver functions, dissolves gallstones, provides antioxidants that nourish the skin, reduces inflammation, reduces hunger cravings, freshens breath, flushes toxins by increasing urination, reduces mucus, maintains a healthy alkaline pH once metabolized, is anti-bacterial to pathogens, reduces joint pain, and more.

Who wouldn’t want those benefits?

But…the acid in lemon juice erodes tooth enamel

Enamel is the hard covering that protects your teeth. It’s the strongest substance in the human body. When your enamel erodes, your teeth become sensitive and more prone to cavities. They also become yellower and may eventually appear hollowed. If that happens, you’ll need some serious, extensive, and expensive dentistry.

Acid can erode tooth enamel. Lemon and lime juice are the most acidic fruit juices of all, with a pH of 2 to 2.6.

Other fruit juices are also acidic, as are some sodas, sports drinks, vinegars, and wines.

Here’s a list of beverages sorted by pH. The site says that any beverage with a pH under 5.5 can erode tooth enamel.

How to drink acidic drinks and preserve your tooth enamel

The health benefits of drinking water with lemon are numerous. So what can you do to preserve your tooth enamel besides avoiding it? Here are some choices:

(1) Consider how much lemon juice you are adding to your water. One site says use the juice of half a lemon if you weigh under 150 lbs., and a whole lemon if you weigh more. You could certainly use less than that. A quarter or an eighth of a lemon will still give you some health benefits. More is not necessarily better, in this case.

(2) Also consider the amount of water. I couldn’t find any data on this, but obviously the more diluted the lemon juice is, the better for your tooth enamel. Consider drinking 8 or 12 ounces of water with a little lemon juice rather than 4. Definitely don’t shoot it!

(3) Use a straw, which will bring an acidic liquid more toward the back of your mouth away from your teeth. Please avoid plastic straws. There’s way too much plastic in the world already. Paper straws can be composted. Stainless steel straws can be reused.

(4) After you finish drinking your glass of lemon water, rinse your mouth with plain water and spit it out to help normalize your saliva. Saliva contains minerals that offset the demineralization that can occur from consuming acidic food and drink.

(5) Eat foods that neutralize the acid, like dairy (if you tolerate it), right after consuming your lemon water. There’s chance that some of the minerals in the dairy (like calcium) could be absorbed into your weakened enamel. This is pure speculation on my part, but if dairy products are part of your diet, you might consider eating some plain yogurt immediately after drinking your water with lemon. It couldn’t hurt.

Also, xylitol alkalizes your mouth and will neutralize acid. I like Spry mints.

(6) Very important! Do not brush your teeth for at least 30 minutes after drinking water with lemon or any acidic beverage. Brushing and using toothpaste with abrasive substances (i.e., whiteners) can thin the softened enamel, so rinse with water, wait, then use a soft brush and brush gently. Or use a Waterpik on a low setting (1-2).

Using fluoride is controversial. Although classified as a neurotoxin, it does strengthen teeth and reduce sensitivity, so use a fluoride toothpaste only if you feel okay with it. I personally avoid it. 

(7) Even better: brush your teeth before you drink your lemon water. But wait a few minutes after brushing before drinking it. A healthy mouth quickly creates a layer of pellicle on the teeth for protection after you brush. Allow the pellicle to work for you by creating a barrier on the enamel against acids.

*I was curious about why some sites say warm or hot water is best with lemon juice. Also, why do some say to drink lemon water first thing in the morning? These specifications come from Ayurveda, traditional Indian medicine. One site says: 

The Ayurvedic philosophy believes the first item you ingest sets the mood for the remainder of the day. With that thought in mind, drink a glass of lukewarm water flavored with a fresh slice of lemon or lime. Here, the Ayurvedic reasoning is twofold. The warm water serves to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and peristalsis—the waves of muscle contractions within the intestinal walls that keep things moving. Secondly, lemons and limes are high in minerals and vitamins and help loosen ama, or toxins, in the digestive tract.

Next step: rebuilding tooth enamel

So I’m learning. I don’t want to lose any more enamel. My teeth are sensitive enough as it is. I’d like to rebuild my enamel, and to that end I’m following the Weston A. Price Foundation dietary recommendations to remineralize my teeth.

Weston A. Price, a brilliant dentist and researcher, wrote a book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, about the relationship between diet and health. Several books explore his dietary recommendations (more shown on my Products I recommend page):

Read the updates: This was originally posted in January 2014. It’s now June 2016, and I just posted an update on my dental health, Rebuilding Tooth Enamel After Drinking Water with Lemon. Good news! My teeth are less sensitive now! Click the link to find out how.

Thank you for stopping by my blog! This is my most popular post, with nearly 100,000 views since 2014 — mostly found via search engine, which tells you how widespread this issue is.

Other diet and dental health related blog posts:

If you like this post, please consider checking out my Products I recommend page, with recommendations for self-care tools, supplements, and books that promote well-being.

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76 thoughts on “How to drink water with lemon and preserve your tooth enamel”

  1. Pingback: Drinking water | Find Me A Cure

  2. Pingback: Lemon/Lime Water: Why It Should Be In Your Daily Routine. | Get your Sizzelle on!

  4. Thanks for this informative article. I would like to know if I can have green tea with lemon juice, first thing in the morning, instead of regular lemon water?

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  6. I may have been doing everything wrong with my daily lemon water habit that I just started a few days ago, but I will correct all of them right away after reading this blog entry. This is very helpful. Thank you very much!!!!

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    • The vitamin C in lemon juice is actually excellent for gum health as it prevents inflammation. Other foods high in vitamin C include broccoli, strawberries, papaya, and other citrus fruits. Some people have taken megadoses of Vitamin C supplements to heal gingivitis. Good luck!

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    • There’s some confusion over this issue. Lemon and lime, outside the body, are both extremely acidic. Anything below a pH of 7 is acidic. Battery acid has a pH of 1, stomach acid a pH of 2.0, so lemon juice (2.0-2.6) and lime juice (2.0-2.4) are very acidic.

      Some sources say that once the lemon or lime juice has been fully metabolized (i.e., gone through the digestive process), it acts to alkalize the body. But when you drink water with lemon or lime, it has not been fully metabolized, and the acid can damage your tooth enamel. Here’s an explanation from an holistic health site, but it doesn’t explain in detail how metabolized lemon or lime juice works to alkalize the body.

      This may be a myth, or there may be something to it that science hasn’t caught up with yet. I don’t know.

      Here’s another post from a chemistry blog. The note at the bottom refers to a study that found that drinking lemon juice increased urinary pH from 6.7 to 6.9, which is a very small increase in alkalinity, but it is still acidic (less than 7.0).

      If anyone finds a good explanation that’s been scientifically vetted, please add to the comments! I’ve heard this for years and am curious too.

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      • here is the information to clear out any myths related to this, As per Ayurveda, the post digestive effect of Lemon is alkaline(it may be pH more that 7 or <8/9) . People having myths/misunderstood and it's practiced five thousands of years in India and from my many years of Ayurveda Life Style Health Counselor. So, Please note that Lemon and Lime having different properties (post digestive effects!). Lemon – mostly used during the summer time, Lime used in winter season. Lemon juice (although acidic in nature) is anionic and therefore produces an alkalizing effect on the body. This is important because the more alkaline your body is, the healthier it is. Disease states only occur when the body pH is acidic. Being alkaline also helps stay healthy and also helpful further the detoxification processes.

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      • Yes, you can add honey, especially if you can get raw, local honey to obtain the most nutrients and immune system benefits. Honey is a form of sugar, so if your blood sugar runs high, you would want to avoid it. If you prefer a sweetener with no effect on your blood sugar, try stevia (liquid or powder). The taste has come a long way over the years to where it is indistinguishable from white sugar.

        Thanks for commenting!

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  12. I hear bone broth can heal your teeth (enamel and cavities) it’s also full of beneficial vitamins and minerals. I think it would be a great supplement to a lemon water drinker. ..

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  13. Thanks for the info and the time consuming research to provide it. I usually cut a large lemon into 16ths to drink with my water. I drink about 20 ounces at least three times and sometimes 4 times per day. Feeling great!

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  16. Hi,I have been drinking lemon juice and warm water four times daily for the past three years and I feel great! Only several months ago several teeth in the front of the mouth have been getting sesisitive. It probably is the lemon juice intake. All that I have read has been very helpful. I do not want to stop drinking Lemon Juice and your experiences have been helpfull I will start by using the straw and drinking bone juice. I will keep you abreast of my progress thanks a mill Seb

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  17. Thanks for this article. I hate water, but as of last week I started keeping a gallon jug with a dispenser on it of lemon water in the fridge. Since I started drinking it every morning I cannot get enough water and I love it so much.

    However, my tooth started killing me a few days ago. Looking on the internet for possible remedies (no signs of infection or inflammation, my teeth look good). I could not feel a root hurting, I was dumbfounded. Until I got my last glass of lemon water 15 min ago, took a swig and was like OH THIS IS ACID on my tooth. That same tooth had been sensitive to cold for a very long time but never any bother; but now it hurts. Thank to your article, I will try to have yogurt and warm lemon water and see if this helps.

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  18. I was bulimic for 10 years. Side note, I’ve been healthy for 17 years. Yay! Recently I had a root canal due to damage from my eating disorder – I always brushed my teeth after I was sick. Unfortunately the damage is done but that makes me more determined to help prevent other people from having the same experience—whether from bulimia or drinking lemon juice. Now I drink lemon juice in the morning and always rinse with water after. And by the way, you can overcome bulimia! Thanks for this thorough and well-written article.

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  21. Pingback: Why I Gave Up the Bottle {of Lemon Juice} - Beautiful Foods

  22. What about if you mix baking soda with the lemon water….would this neutralize the acid in the lemon and stop it from damaging your teeth? Any help greatly appreciated.

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  23. Drinking lots of water throughout the day is good to prevent kidney stones, and they say it works even better with lemon juice in it. So when drinking water consistently all day with lemon juice, even if a straw is used, won’t there still be residual lemon/acid continually bathing at least some of the teeth, eroding the enamel? Is there a way around this? Thanks

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  24. I have helped strengthen my teeth and stopped them from being so sensitive by taking coral calcium powder. I put a little cc powder in my mouth, then take a sip of water and hold both in my mouth for several minutes, the longer the better. I do it every day. It even helps them look whiter. I get the cc powder from Coral calcium LLC.

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  26. I’ve been drinking lemon water for the last three years, now my front teeth hurts and i’m terrified they might fall off. Should i start panicking, or there’s still hope that won’t happen?

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  27. I’ve been drinking lemon water for the last three years, now my front teeth hurts and i’m terrified they might fall off. Should i start panicking, or there’s still hope that won’t happen?

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  28. Hi Mary, very interesting article, thanks. I take a fresh lemon every day, make a few incisions so that the juice can escape and put that in a jug with about 1 litre of water, which I then consume throughout the day, refilling it at about lunchtime when the jug is empty. You can taste the lemon, but it’s not overpowering. Would that be too alkaline? I am anal about my teeth – 50 years old and not a single cavity or filling.
    Thanks

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  29. Thank you for the hope and encouragement in your blog about how to have the benefits of lemon juice without the damage to tooth enamel.

    I plan to explore your other links.

    Thankyou so much. I have an auto immune condition which benefits from what nutrients of lemon juice, but has also been identified as the reason for gum disease about 10 years ago. Much treatment over several years has arrested the gum damage & have been wary to try anything acidic. Very limiting.

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  30. I’ve been drinking 64 oz. most days, and sometimes I cut up a lemon just to “jazz it up” a little. I think I’ll stop doing that, now. Maybe have a glass in the morning with lemon in it, then drink the rest plain. It would be nice to know what kinds of additions you can put in water that would benefit your teeth. I’m guessing probably nothing.

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    • I would think that anything with minerals in it would benefit your teeth. Packaged electrolytes, Real Salt or Himalayan salt… More important to brush BEFORE you drink the lemon water. Thank you for commenting. I see you are intent on staying hydrated. Good for you!

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  31. Hi! Thanks for your strenuous research and clear and helpful writing. My question: will lemon juice threaten tooth enamel if the lemon juice is cooked, such as in cookies, pies and sauces? I make low-sugar and no-sugar recipes with lemon juice, but my wife won’t eat them any more because of the lemon juice threat to tooth enamel. Now I’m doing my holiday baking, and here in southern California we’re practically stumbling over lemons in the streets. Lemon bars are a favorite of mine. Help! and thanks again.

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    • Hi, Richard. Great question, and lucky you to live amongst lemon trees! Cooking will not make much (if any) difference in the pH of the lemon juice, and from what I’ve read, sugar is also an acidifying food, so low or no sugar is better, but check the pH of sugar substitutes. If your wife is willing to use a waterpik-type device after eating lemony foods, it should not remove softened tooth enamel the way brushing would. (Set the device on a low setting.) If she’s not dairy-free, she could also consume some dairy after eating lemon — a bit of yogurt, a piece of cheese, a swish of milk will neutralize the acidic lemons. Good luck!

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  32. Thank you for the great advice! We both appreciate it. However, the acid-alkaline charts we’ve seen say that dairy is acidic! So, how does it neutralize lemon’s acidity? Is this a fancy and complicated chemical reaction, a dance of molecules?

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  34. My current diet requires grapefruit, which I just read is very acidic and erodes your tooth enamel just as much as lemon. Should I stop eating it?

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    • No. I’m not saying to stop consuming lemon, lime, or any acidic juice or drink! Just be aware that it softens tooth enamel, and don’t brush your teeth right after consuming it. Brush before consumption or wait at least an hour afterwards so the mouth’s pH can normalize.

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  35. I was having a doubt about drinking lemon water as it erodes the tooth enamel I found the perfect post as I googled my doubt. THANK YOU

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      • if i have lemon water three times a day do I have to brush my teeth each time before I drink the lemon water

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      • Not necessarily, Adam! My suggestion to brush before drinking is meant to prevent you from brushing your softened enamel away after drinking. If your teeth don’t need brushing, don’t brush. Rinsing your mouth to remove lemon residue is enough.

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  36. Amazing article… i keep one whole lemon mashed in refrigerator and put it in my water throughout the 2 days so i use one whole lemon with probably 20 glasses of water. Is that safe or it still can have bad effects on my tooth enamel.

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  38. Hi, I’ve been drinking warm water with lemon for several years (I had the kind of heartburn that was caused by not enough acid in the stomach and this prevents it) but eventually I switched to a concentrated lemon juice that I bought from the store (out of not wanting to buy many lemons every week). I put a bit in my glass every morning before adding the warm water. Is that a lot worse for me re: health benefits and tooth enamel?

    Thanks!

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    • It sounds like you’re on the right track for improving your stomach acid levels. I never want readers to think they need to avoid water with lemon juice! It’s good for your health. I just want you to not brush your teeth right after drinking it, because it DOES soften your tooth enamel. Either brush before you drink it, or rinse your mouth well (with water or something alkaline to neutralize the acid) first, or wait at least an hour before brushing.

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  40. Thank you so much… you got right to the meat of it… no matter what convention says.. they are not always correct. I agree with what you said based on my “learning journeys” in the world of … foods and what we ingest. Thank you!! (Nothing is clear cut 🙄)
    Elise.

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