Good oral hygiene isn’t just about brushing and flossing. Taking care of your teeth also means being conscious of how certain foods and beverages can affect your teeth. Most people know that sugar can be damaging, but there is more to it than that. Certain foods can stain your teeth, break down the enamel, and even cause breakage.
Foods That Can Harm Your Teeth:
Some of these are well known, some of them may surprise you.
1. Hard Candies
There are a couple of reasons these popular candies can be a nightmare for your teeth. First, there is the sugar. Bacteria break down the sugar to turn it into energy. This begins in the mouth. The process turns the sugar into acid that creates plaque and causes cavities.
Hard candies are particularly troublesome, because they are held in the mouth for so long. This increases the amount of time that the sugar is in contact with the teeth.
Biting down on hard candies is also problematic, and is responsible for chipped and cracked teeth and broken braces.
2. Ice
Okay, ice isn’t really a food, but it can harm your teeth. If you have a habit of absent-mindedly crunching on your ice, you should stop. It can cause your teeth and braces to break, crack or chip.
3. Citrus Fruits
Oranges may be good for you, but they aren’t so good for your teeth. They contain both sugar and citric acid, which can erode tooth enamel. Be sure to follow up with water to rinse your teeth and brush as soon as possible.
4. Soda and Energy drinks
Another sugary problem. Soda is a major culprit in tooth decay. Energy drinks are typically high is sugar content and citric acid.
5. Coffee And Tea
Both beverages not only eat away at tooth enamel, but also cause unsightly stains over time.
6. Chewy Foods
Chewy foods like gummy candies and even dried fruit can wreak havoc on the teeth. The sugar is the first part of the problem. The second part is that fact that these chewy snacks stick to your teeth and braces, getting in the cracks and crevices where they sit, creating bacteria, plaque and eroding enamel.
7. Apples
Why are apples on the list? Because most people don’t suspect them. Apples are good for you, right? Of course they are, but, they contain a lot of sugar. Just like candy, the sugar found in apples is bad for your teeth. This goes for just about any fruit. But it doesn’t stop there. Many foods contain carbohydrates, which become sugar, which becomes acid which is a problem for your teeth. Other foods to add to the list include bread and potatoes!
What Can I Eat That Isn’t Bad For My Teeth?
By now, you are probably thinking there is no safe food for your teeth. It isn’t about eliminating these foods, although you would do well to eliminate or avoid things like candy and soda. It’s about caring for your teeth and braces, and being conscious of how the foods you eat every day affect them.
Ideally, you should brush and floss after every meal and every snack. While most people brush in the morning and in the evening, you need to take into consideration the foods you eat between breakfast and lunch. If you have an apple, or a cookie, or a latte during the day, then there is a good chance your teeth are bathing in sugar for hours.
At the very least, you should get in the habit of rinsing your mouth thoroughly after snacks and any beverage besides water. Another option is a good dental rinse. You might want to even carry a toothbrush and toothpaste with you so that you can brush after lunch!
Taking these precautions can drastically reduce cavities and gum disease.
