| Fluoride helps prevent cavities, but too much can
damage teeth. Researchers with the Academy of General
Dentistry found that many fruit juices contain more
fluoride than a typical fluoride vitamin.
Drinking too much fruit juice may
cause fluorosis, which can damage tooth enamel and cause
decay. Signs of fluorosis include chalky white or brown
stains on teeth.
Researchers measured fluoride
levels in more than 500 juice drinks. They found that
43% had more than the highest recommended dose of
supplemental fluoride (0.70 parts per million).
White grape juice contains the
highest concentration of fluoride, perhaps because many
grape growers use insecticides that contains fluoride.
Other juices with high fluoride levels include prune,
cranberry, pear, red grape, cherry and apple-grape
juice. Lower fluoride levels are usually found in orange
juices, lemonades, fruit nectars and pineapple juices.
Juice manufacturers do not provide fluoride content on
product labels. Doing so would be difficult because the
brand of juice can have different fluoride
concentrations depending on where it was made. Fluoride
content usually correlates with the amount of fluoride
in the water used to make the product, and that varies
by plant location. |
