I don't think people should eliminate citrus from their diet. It seems like regular brushing with a fluoride toothpaste should balance out the effects of citric acid. Would you agree? Do the benefits of citrus fruits in your diet outweigh the potential downside?
From what I understand, many soft drinks do more damage to teeth than an orange. But, you are the dentist. What do you think about that? I drink a lot of orange juice, and sometimes grapefruit juice. I avoid soft drinks, with the exception of an occasional Dr. Pepper -- or and IBC Cream Soda. They are a treat, not a daily drink. I haven't had a cavity since the 1970s.
Of course, eight of my front teeth have veneers, thanks to tetracycline damage -- given to me when my teeth were developing.
CD
Im definitely not suggesting eliminating citrus from ones diet. My main point was to show the OP that its definitely not healthy for the teeth.
As I mentioned , it takes time for the acids to do their damage. Its not going to happen over night, so taking constant care would eliminate or extremely reduce any risks the acids may cause. Also, Almost everything we eat is acidic . Sure Citrus is among the top of the list, but other fruits , veggies and foods will also cause damages over time, which is why constant home care is key.
And yes, soft drinks and sports drinks ( which are listed in the link I posted) fall into the same category as citrus and are often more damaging to the teeth. They are more commonly used,
This is also why going for a checkup regularly ( every 6 months) is ideal. Not so we can pocket your money, but finding something small in 6 months is better than finding something large, expensive and possibly unfixable in a year or two. Many of the cavities are not visible from the naked eye , as they are in-between the teeth and can only be detected with dental radiographs).
I think I also mentioned that everyones genetic make up is different and some people are more cavity prone than others due to enamel make up differences and anatomical ( dental anataomy, some people have more and deeper grooves than others ) differences.
Another note is in most cases, a dental X-ray cant shoot through the dental restorations ) crowns, fillings ... So its always possible there is stuff going on that we just cant detect until it has already done significant damage.
Hope this info helps