Top Tooth-Damaging Food and Drinks Part 2

Taking care of your teeth can be more important than we realize. Like we said in Part One, unlike any other bone in your body, teeth can’t heal themselves, which means that we have to be thorough and careful in our oral hygiene.  Some of the less-desirable consequences of inefficient oral care could include having to get removable dentures, or painful root canals. In order to prevent these consequences, make sure that you take good care of your teeth, starting with the foods you eat. As you know, the food you eat can have a larger effect on your oral health than you realize. Now, let’s finish our list of the most damaging food and drink for your teeth.

• Potato Chips
  • There’s nothing more satisfying than the crunch of a potato chip. But like bread, potato chips are full of starch that the enzymes in your saliva break down into sugar, which feeds the plaque causing bacteria in your teeth. Make sure that if you do decide to eat a handful or two of chips, you floss to remove any mushy pieces of starch that can fester and destroy your teeth.
• Breath Mints
  • When you’re worried about bad breath, a breath mint can solve your problem in no time flat. But did you know that they can cause serious dental damage? They sit in your mouth for a long time, coating your teeth in highly processed sugar. Remember to rinse your mouth out with water to slow the effects of the sugar that are in breath mints.
• Pickles
  • Vinegar can give food that flavorful kick we’re looking for, and is known for its food storage strengths, but did you know that vinegar is extremely acidic? It gives pickles their sharp taste and smell, but is bad for teeth exposure. While pickles are tasty, make sure that you limit your teeth’s exposure to vinegar, and try to eat pickles as part of a meal to minimize the danger of acidic erosion.
• Popcorn
  • We all hate when popcorn kernels get stuck in our back molars, but these small annoyances can spell big trouble for our teeth. The kernels trapped between our teeth can promote bacteria growth. In addition, if you chew and bite down on un-popped popcorn kernels, you can potentially damage your enamel, or chip off a part of your tooth.
• Soda
  • Our last tooth-damaging drink is one of the most common: soda pop. Many studies have shown that drinking large quantities of soda could be as damaging to your teeth as some illegal drugs. Carbonation in sodas can enable plaque to produce enamel-damaging acid at a higher rate than any other sugary beverage. Even sugar-free soda is full of these teeth damaging acids, and these sodas can lead you to have a dry mouth, causing even more problems for your teeth.

Now that you know what kinds of foods can lead to oral disease and tooth decay, you can be better-prepared for taking care of your teeth and making healthier food choices.  A future with cavities and removable dentures is never preferable, and can be easily avoided if you make a few changes to keep your oral health a priority.  Stay away from sugars and acids, and remember to regularly brush, floss, and visit the dentist.  For your next dental appointment, remember Indy Dentist to keep your smile picture-perfect and free of cavities!