Apple Cider Vinegar: Uses, Health Benefits and FAQ

I began drinking the Apple Cider Vinegar several days ago. I LOVE how I feel from taking it but my only concern was my tooth enamel since I have read so many 'warnings' on postings, articles and advice pages.

I am using a recipe that I took from this site: Green Tea with Mandarin Orange, 1 Tbsp ACV, 1 Tbsp Honey, 7 drops of concentrated Lemon Juice and 7 drops of concentrated Lime juice (steeping tea bag until desired strength is reached) ... 3 times per day.

I am getting my friend started on it and she happened to have a dentist appointment today and so she asked him about it. She told him exactly what we are drinking and he said that the amount that we are drinking won't damage our teeth any more than the sodas we drink. He said that since we are diluting it, he didn't feel that we had any problems. He suggested rinsing the mouth within 20 minutes of drinking but NEVER brushing right away because brushing after eating or drinking anything that has a lot of acid WILL DAMAGE THE TEETH. That doesn't just apply to ACV but ANYTHING that falls into this category.

Then the dentist asked "May I ask WHY you are drinking ACV?" ... so she got to share that her crazy friend is insisting that she is going to feel better after drinking it. I can't wait to prove I'm right!!! ha ha

I have employed gel tabs to avoid unpleasant flavors with liquid or oil treatments. In the context of ACV, this could avoid dental enamel erosion. When you fill them with liquids, you want to consume them quickly because they will begin dissolving immediately. I have found vegetarian gel tabs readily available.

I have a small glass of about 1/4 tsp baking soda mixed with water ready, then I take 2 Tblsp ACV straight. After taking ACV, I swish with water, then swish with baking soda & water mixture & spit it out to clean all ACV out of my mouth to protect teeth. ACV has really helped digestion and constipation.

... all of the acidic foods (Lemons, Tomato, Vinegar, ANY Citrus) are very bad for your teeth IF you brush within 30 minutes of eating or drinking them!! Doing so literally eats the natural enamel off of your teeth. My Dentist scolded me about this!!! So, Brush before you ingest.:) Then, Drink lots of water and make sure to swish around your teeth.

I have a suggestion that should remedy the problem with ACV possibly damaging tooth enamel over time. Use a straw when sipping your ACV remedies. This wil drastically cut down on the amount of acid contact with teeth.

Apple Cider Vinegar: I have been taking it for years. I read about it long ago and have been taking two tblsp every day along with other things... fish oil etc I love the taste and don't mix it. I'm 68 and have all my teeth so I don't think that's a problem.

Let me add to Dr. Yong's comments regarding tooth enamel (and point out why William Campbell Douglas was misinformed). Acid damages tooth enamel. Pathogenic bacteria in the mouth produce acid as a byproduct when they consume sugar. So when you drink ACV, you expose your teeth to acid. When you eat products with high sugar content, the bacteria produce acid. Neither of these situations is necessarily deleterious to the tooth enamel if the exposure to the acid is over a short period of time. Saliva is able to cleanse the mouth, and the pH returns to normal. However, if you sip the ACV over a long period of time during the day, the pH of the mouth is unable to recover, and as a result of constant prolonged exposure, dental decay results.

The same amount of ACV ingested over a period of a few minutes will typically cause no problems. Yes, we eat/drink acidic/sugary foods all the time (as the MD mentioned) but these are the things that cause decay especially if sipped or ingested in large quantities over long periods of time. Try to consume your ACV 3 times per day within a period of 5-10 minutes.

Re: Dr. Yong's tooth enamel comment. Well intentioned, but almost certainly wrong. For one thing most of us have been eating salad dressings with vinegars for years. Also, certain natural health people have taken it for decades without losing enamel. Sugar, as honey or whatever, mixed with the ACV, may be the culprit. Also excessive brushing, according to many naturally oriented physicians (William Campbell Douglas, M.D.)

I took acv for years and experienced problems with my dental erosion. Also, other problems possibly relating to amalgam fillings. Stopped acv and now ok. I would encourage anyone considering acv to dilute and then follow w/ sodium bicarb.

I just want to let you know that I agree with the dentist. I started drinking vinegar water 3 years ago all day long like you, and my teeth start going bad, since then I drink a glass in the morning as tea and then brush my teeth no more problems with my teeth.

I've read that eating a little bit of cheese afterwards will lower the acid level in your mouth. A high acid level is good for the ph balance of the body but not so good for your teeth.