Love to snack on gummy bears or jelly beans?? Those sugary, sticky treats seem harmless, but too many can lead to erosion of the enamel on your teeth, cause decay and in the extreme a broken tooth. In addition to candies, take a look at the list below to learn how foods break down the protective enamel covering of your teeth.
Here are 7 Foods to Avoid:
Hard candies including mints, lollipops or even lozenges. Candies will coat your teeth in sugar and allow sugar loving microbes/bacteria to convert the sugars to acids which in turn break down the enamel leading to tooth decay. Sugars also contribute to periodontitis that affects your gums and bones that support your teeth.
Citrus intake: Everything in moderation! Oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes have terrific health benefits but too much citric acid impacts your tooth enamel and will lead to the erosion of the protective hard shield of your teeth. Remember water will always act as a neutralizer when eating acidic food.
Coffee & Tea: Both also delicious drinks to enjoy, but over time and a large intake of these beverages will cause staining and acid wear. In addition to the acid the addition of sugar also will increase the pH balance of your mouth. Rinsing your mouth with water is a good way to limit the negatives.
Sicky Foods: We already addressed candy, but another source of sugars occurs in sticky foods such as dried fruits. Trail mixes are loaded with great protein and carbs to give you energy to climb that mountain, but best to rinse with water after consuming and always floss and brush 2x daily.
Starchy Foods: Avoid the crunch…so many of our crunchy snack foods are starchy carbohydrates which our saliva converts to sugars. Water, flossing and brushing are the trifecta habits to lessen the damage and protect your teeth.
Sugary Drinks: Carbonated drinks, sports drinks, and juices all follow the same chemical reaction created by sugar, which produces acids which will put you at risk of damaging that protective enamel layer of your teeth. If you can, sip some water alongside your afternoon cola pick-up.
Heavy Alcohol Consumption: Alcohol consumption dries out the mouth and overtime lead to less saliva production which contributes to oral health problems. With less saliva produced to protect your teeth, you are at risk of tooth decay, gum disease and oral infections.
Healthy habits such as drinking still water, brushing and flossing as well as visiting your family dentist regularly will counteract the effects of foods that may over time erode the enamel of your teeth. Time to schedule your dental check-up…Plainsboro Dental Care is accepting new patients, call 609-799-2244 to schedule an appointment today.