Lemon water may have some benefits in moderation, but too much can lead to negative side effects.Sandra Mu/Getty Images
Lemon water is touted by some experts and celebrities for its long list of benefits, including preventing dehydration, assisting with digestion, and supporting weight loss.
But, like most things in life, you can have too much of a good thing.
Here are six dangerous things that can happen when you drink too much lemon water:
Editor's note: Keep in mind most of these would take quite a large consumption of lemon juice before becoming a problem.
Since lemons are highly acidic, frequent exposure can erode your tooth enamel, according to the American Dental Association.
If that doesn't convince you to totally ditch lemon water, at least try to drink it out of a straw to cut down on the direct acid exposure on your teeth. You should also avoid brushing your teeth right after consuming lemon water and drink plenty of plain water alongside glasses infused with citrus.
Although lemon water's wide range of benefits often centers on gut health, according to Medical News Today, squeezing too much in your water can worsen common maladies like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and acid reflux.
GERD and acid reflux are triggered by acidic foods, like lemons, and can cause heartburn, nausea, and vomiting.
You may want to steer clear of putting lemon wedges in your water when you're at a restaurant.
In a 2007 study from the Journal of Environmental Health, researchers tested 76 lemon samples from 21 different restaurants during 43 visits and found that many of the lemons contained microorganisms, including some pathogenic ones that may cause diseases.
To minimize your risk a bit, squeeze the lemon into your drink instead of dropping the whole wedge in. And if you see employees handling lemons with their bare hands, it might be best to stick to plain water.
Nothing is worse than waking up to the painful irritation of a newly formed canker sore. Although most will clear up on their own within a week or two, drinking too much lemon water has the potential to exacerbate canker sores, according to the American Dental Association.
Additionally, according to WebMD, if you're consuming a lot of citrus fruits, they could even be the underlying cause of your canker sores.
Even though there is no proven link, yet, some studies over the years have discovered a connection between migraines and citrus fruits.
Fruits like lemons are on doctors' radars as possible triggers for migraines and headaches, neurologist Rebecca Traub told Health in 2015.
According to WebMD, this link may be due to the fact that lemons are higher in tyramine — a natural monoamine that's often linked to headaches — than other fruits.
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