Everyone knows that keeping teeth clean and healthy is a must since an aching tooth is the last experience we would like to have. If you are lucky to be born with originally strong and healthy teeth that no sugar can harm, then feel free to skip this article.
But if you have to visit the dentist regularly because of the teeth issues, then, we believe, it will be useful for you to know what can make your teeth less strong.
The Worst Foods For Our Teeth
Our teeth are very strong and durable, otherwise, we will not be able to make use of them during our lives. In addition, they are meant for processing the food which means teeth must be strong enough to be able to cope with both soft and quite hard and chewy foodstuffs.
But if not so long ago an average person’s diet consisted mostly of raw fruits and the same raw or cooked veggies, cereals, and nuts with a very little amount of sugars, nowadays everything is completely different.
The huge variety of sweet treats in the stores makes it almost impossible to resist the temptation to buy one more packet of cookies or an extra cupcake. However, such affection will not pass unnoticed for our teeth, unfortunately as Meredith Hayes notes at her blog.
But if you are sure that only sweets are the biggest threat to our “chewing machine”, you are wrong. Below we provide the list of the most hazardous foodstuffs that are better to be avoided or completely excluded from your menu in order to keep the teeth healthy and strong longer.
1. Sour sweets
It might be nice to tickle your taste buds with the sour candy, but this is actually a double dose of damage. First because of the sugar they contain, and second because of the excessive amount of acids that are tougher on our teeth.
In addition, those treats are often chewy which makes them stick between the teeth and cause even more decay! So if you are badly in love with sweets, better grab a square of dark chocolate: it can be washed away much simpler at least.
2. Bread
Surprise! Yes, bread is another hazardous foodstuff that can damage our teeth! When we chew it, our saliva turns starch into sugars. Since the chewed bread is a sticky paste-like substance, it can easily get stuck in between the teeth crevices leading to the cavities’ development.
We would recommend opting for the whole-grain alternatives instead of a pure white bread if you can’t live without a slice or two of the freshly-baked foodstuff.
3. Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages make our mouth get dry which leads to the lack of saliva. Since we need it to keep the teeth healthy, such a shortage may lead to foods sticking to the teeth easier remaining between them and ruining the enamel.
Since saliva also prevents the early signs of decay and even fixes the gum disease and other oral infections, drinking alcohol can dramatically affect the overall state of your mouth.
4. Carbonated drinks
Both soda and pop drinks have the same effect: they make a plaque to produce more acids that attack the teeth enamel. In addition, they also dry our mouth just like alcohol does which leads to the lack of saliva making our teeth more vulnerable.
5. Ice
What can be bad about frozen water? Well, nothing unless you chew it. chewing hard substances damages our teeth enamel causing micro-cracks that will result in high sensitivity of teeth.
In addition, chewing ice can leave you with cracked or broken teeth, or even make the crowns loosen.
6. Citrus
Despite being natural, these fruits are highly acidic which makes them hazardous to our teeth enamel. To avoid any possible decay, consume them moderately and remember to rinse the mouth with water afterward.
7. Potato chips
Bad news for those who love to watch a good movie with a packet of crunchy chips: this snack is filled with starch that turns into sugar once it ends up in our mouth. When being trapped between the teeth, that sugar may lead to their health decay.
So if you gorged on a whole packet, brush your teeth and floss them to delete any particles of food.
8. Dried fruits
Yes, this sweet treat is better than pure sugar in terms of health but for the teeth, they are the same threatening. Since prunes, figs, and apricots are sticky when dried, it can be pretty tricky to get rid of them if some particles are stuck between the teeth.
If you can’t resist them, then rinse your mouth after eating, and remember to brush and floss afterward.
Keep your teeth clean and properly maintained, eat healthy and teeth-friendly foods, and you will have to visit your dentist only once or twice a year just to learn that everything is fine.