Interestingly, some experts think that having milk alongside cereal isn’t particularly great for your teeth.
As explained by pediatric dentistry professor Christine Wu, who served as the principal investigator of the 2013 study and has done more research on the topic, even though milk is considered to have cavity-fighting properties, a combination of Froot Loops and milk can become syrupy (via UIC Today). This can lead to low pH levels in your mouth. In fact, having cereal with milk has the same effect on your mouth acidity levels as consuming cereal and washing it down with a 10% sugar solution. So if you’re in the habit of having cereal with milk and drinking fruit juice after, you’re definitely not doing your teeth any favors.
With that said, the unexpected way in which milk protects your teeth is certainly interesting. Dairy is naturally abundant in casein, phosphorus, and calcium, all of which help remineralize tooth enamel. Milk also prevents corrosive acids from chipping away at your teeth to cause cavities by forming a protective layer over them. Consuming milk after a meal (cereal or anything else) helps neutralize acid or sugar attacks, shared dentist Dr. Sunita De Zoysa (via Live Science). And if you’re wondering about plant-based milks, while they contain lower levels of phosphorus and no casein, some do come fortified with tooth-friendly nutrients like calcium and vitamin D.