As far as the worst foods for your teeth are concerned, the list of things that range from what should be considered obvious – such as sweets – to more interesting examples that include fruits and vegetables. Even though a variety of foods that you eat and drink can harm your teeth over time, with proper oral care, you can prevent this outcome.
Identifying EdiblesHarmful for Your Teeth
Sweet treats
This is therefore no surprise that candy is a big suspect of the cavity-causing foods. If you fulfill your need for a sweet treat or fight a lingering cough with a lozenge in the mouth, after eating these foods, you’ll want to brush your teeth. If you eat sweets, sugar sticks to your teeth and mixes with plaque bacteria, which results in tooth decay.
Acidic fruits and legumes
Many foods which are bad for your teeth are still otherwise good choices. Those include bananas, grapefruits, lemons and tomatoes, just to name a few. The acid present in those foods will erode your tooth enamel, and over time weaken your teeth. To help reduce the impact of citric acid on your teeth, integrate these foods into a full meal, or eat them along with other nutritious foods.
Starchy foods
Starches are just another of the teeth’s worst enemies. Besides the health risks that follow a diet high in refined starches, the adverse impact that these foods may have on your oral health are also present. Starchy foods like breads or potato chips are quickly wedged in and around your teeth. The sugars created by breaking down the food particles can easily become a breeding ground for bacteria.
Hard Foods
Foods requiring a little extra chewing effort are also typically foods that can damage your teeth. While chewing on the ice at the bottom of a glass or even unpopped kernels at the bottom of your popcorn bag might be tempting, hard foods could actually break or weaken your teeth. This can also be the case with nutritious foods like new carrots or corn. Those with sensitive teeth may choose diced carrots, or corn which is removed from the cob.
Alcohol / Soft drinks
Drinking alcoholic drinks often can lead to dry mouth, which happens when you don’t produce enough saliva. Since saliva helps cleanse your mouth from food particles and plaque, it’s important that you stay well hydrated all day long. Owing to their high acidity and sugar content, soft drinks are also poor food for teeth. Over time, the acid in these beverages erode enamel, and accumulate sugar on the teeth.
Is your favorite food/beverage in the list? Try substituting them. For this purpose, you can get in touch with the best dentist in Carthage NY. Click here.
