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Science Question
Science Question
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I drink a lot of lemon water. It has so many health benefits, including increased altertness and metabolism. But I know that the acid erodes your teeth! I dilute it heavily to avoid that, but I've been wondering: Is it just as harmful for the teeth to drink the juice of one lemon with, say, eight cups of water as it is with two cups? The same amount is passing theough the teeth.
The Internet has no answers, so I'm planning on asking my Science teacher tomorrow. What do you guys think? Place your bets! I'll tell you the answer!
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submitted by Mei-xue (May-shreh), Fairyland
(April 2, 2017 - 9:00 pm)
(April 2, 2017 - 9:00 pm)
I think the eight cups of water would be better for the teeth. Sure, the same amount of lemon is passing through, but it's less... pure than it would be with only two cups.
(April 3, 2017 - 5:57 am)
(April 3, 2017 - 11:52 am)
I think it is as harmful for the teeth to drink it with two cups as eight.
However you could drink it with a straw so it passes your teeth without touching them?
(April 3, 2017 - 1:59 pm)
I don't know anything about chemistry, but I think it would be less harmful.
Let's say Silverwaxwing is right, and the lemon juice is just as bad for your teeth when spread out. Let's also assume that two cups makes a serving, and you drink one serving every day.
If you drink it with the juice of one lemon in two cups of water, you'd be drinking one lemon's juice every day. In four days you would be drinking four lemons' worth.
But if you drink it with the juice of one lemon in eight cups of water, which makes four daily servings, you'd be drinking 1/4 of a lemon's juice every day. In four days you would be drinking one lemons' worth.
So, in the same amount of time, the 1:8 ratio would give you just a quarter of the lemon juice you'd be drinking with the 1:2 ratio. To put that in proportion, in a year you would drink the juice of about 91 lemons rather than 365, which would definitely be better for your teeth!
In real life your consumption varies from day to day, but I still think this logic would hold true, unless you started to drink lemon water by the gallon after you changed the recipe.
Curious to see what your teacher has to say!
(April 3, 2017 - 3:38 pm)
That's actually not what I meant; I meant if you hypothetically drank the juice of one lemon over any period of time.
(April 3, 2017 - 4:03 pm)
I totally agree, Sho.
(April 3, 2017 - 4:06 pm)
If you look at it that way, then yes, I agree.
(April 5, 2017 - 3:30 pm)
The answer . . .
Diluting is better!
My teacher said that if you drink the juice of one lemon undiluted, a lot of the acid is hitting your teeth at the same time. But if you dilute it, less acid is hitting your teeth at once, and it can recover, even if you're using the same amount of acid.
(April 3, 2017 - 4:06 pm)
Interesting! Thank you for sharing this Mei! I will remember this!
(April 5, 2017 - 3:31 pm)
That was my guess. Interesting question! I agree.
(April 6, 2017 - 7:33 pm)