A dentist has warned that a common habit most of us do regularly could be causing huge damage to our teeth - and it's not as obvious as you might think.
It's a well known fact that not brushing enough or eating too many sugary snacks is bad for the health of our mouths.
But there's something else that the experts are advising against doing, as it can cause our teeth to erode faster and become more damaged.
The offending habit is to do with the way we drink - and for the length of time we do it for, MailOnline reports. According to the experts, sipping a drink throughout the day rather than drinking it all in one sitting could be doing more harm than good when it comes to our teeth.
Dr Dante Devoti, a dentist based in New York City, has explained why this may be causing damage. He said: "Tooth enamel is the hardest mineralized substance in your body.
"But prolonged exposure to acid — especially acidic liquids — can cause teeth to demineralize, erode."
This means that your teeth are more likely to get cavities if you drink in this way.
Saliva can help to reduce the acidity, but the process isn't as quick when you're regularly sipping the same drink. According to the dentist, it can take up to an hour to neutralise the pH levels in your mouth to the 'protective range'.
Fizzy drinks are the worst culprit for this, and the sugar also acts as a food source for harmful bacteria.
Dr Devoti, an assistant professor of dental medicine, said: 'When there’s repeated, long exposures, almost all food and drink can be considered harmful to teeth.
'Good oral habits go beyond brushing and flossing to recognising how eating and drinking habits, such as frequently snacking or sipping on beverages throughout the day, can be equally impactful on the health of our teeth.'
It's estimated that around half of people aged four to 18 in the UK have some sort of erosion in their teeth, with around 75 percent of Brits not having a full set of pearly whites.
And in America, around 46 percent of young people have signs of tooth erosion.
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