Harmful Foods and Drinks for your Dental Health

Good dental health is crucial to your overall well-being. While regular brushing, flossing, and dental checkups are essential for healthy teeth and gums, diet also plays a significant role in dental health. Some foods can cause damage to teeth and gums and lead to decay, cavities, and other dental problems. Here are six of the worst foods for your oral health and how to protect your teeth from damage.

Carbonated Drinks

Many carbonated drinks, like soda, have a lot of sugar, which can stick to your teeth and cause cavities. Even diet sodas are bad for your teeth because they have a kind of acid that can weaken the enamel on your teeth.

Colas and other drinks with caffeine, like coffee, can also make your mouth feel dry. If you drink soft drinks, try to have a cup of water with each one. Dark sodas may also stain or change the color of your teeth. You can reduce the risk tooth decay if you brush your teeth thirty to sixty minutes after drinking soda.

Ice

Ice can be harmful to your smile if you have a habit of chewing on it. Chewing on ice can cause dental problems like chipped, cracked, or broken teeth or crowns that come loose. Tooth sensitivity can also result from exposure to cold conditions. Try to keep ice in your beverage rather than chewing on it.

Crunchy Foods

Carbohydrates found in starchy treats like potato chips and crackers nourish the bacteria on your teeth. When you enjoy these crunchy snacks, acid from the microbes can decompose the protective layer on your teeth, which can lead to cavities. Also, the starch in these treats can get stuck in your teeth and between them, which makes it hard to get rid of when you brush and floss.

To keep your teeth healthy, eat crunchy snacks with other healthy foods, like cheese, to help neutralize the acidity and reduce the likelihood of cavities.

Dried Fruits

Dried fruits are sticky and can get wedged in the cracks and crevices of your teeth. They also leave sugar behind, which can lead to plaque acid. This acid can hurt your teeth even after you finish eating. Eat fresh fruits instead of dried ones, wash your mouth thoroughly with water after you finish, then brush and floss to preserve your dental hygiene.

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits, like oranges, grapefruits, and lemons, are tasty and wholesome as both fruits and juices. However, the acid in citrus fruits can wear away tooth enamel, which leaves teeth more likely to get cavities.

Eat citrus fruits and juices in moderation with meals and rinse your mouth with water to lessen the damage they do to your teeth.

Alcohol

Alcohol dehydrates you quickly and makes your mouth dry. When your mouth is dry, it does not create enough saliva. Saliva clears food particles away and removes food stuck between your teeth. If you do not have enough saliva, you are more likely to get cavities, gum disease, and other mouth infections. Heavy drinking can also increase your risk of mouth cancer.

Moderation is always key, in conjunction with proper brushing and flossing for your best chance at reducing risk to your oral health!