Common Foods that Can Damage Your Teeth

You are what you eat. While your doctor may tell you this, you normally wouldn’t expect to hear it from your dentist. While we may prefer not to believe it, it’s most certainly true. Especially when it comes down to the food particles that are left on your teeth once you are finished eating. At Access Dental and Dentures, your dental expert in Central Missouri, we believe our patients deserve to have the most information and newest technology available to make the right choices with their dental health. Here are some common foods that cause damage to your teeth and could increase visits to your dentist:

1. Acidic Foods 

While avoiding acidic foods may seem like common sense, there are many foods that we eat daily that are high in acid. Here are a few foods that you should avoid eating or highly limit:

- Citrus foods – including but not limited to: lemons, limes, oranges, and cranberries.

- Pickles

- Tomatoes and tomato products (ketchup, tomato pasta sauces, salsa, etc.)

- Coffee
Eating high acidic foods daily erodes the tooth enamel which causes your teeth to decay faster. Acidic foods also irritate mouth sores. Avoiding high acidic foods helps the overall health of your mouth.

2. Sugar 

I know, I know. Sugar is in so many food and drink items we consume daily and it’s delicious. Sugary foods and drinks can even become quite addictive. However, sugar causes plaque bacteria to attack the tooth’s enamel which weakens the enamel. These are some of the top sugary foods and beverages to avoid:

- Soda – while it’s easy to reach for your favorite soda when you need to get through that afternoon lull, water would be the preferred choice for the health of your teeth.

- Sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade, etc.) – these drinks are mainly made up of sugar. While they may seem like a healthy option, sugar is one of their main ingredients. They are great for athletes who need to replenish their electrolytes, but they should be consumed sparingly.

- Energy drinks and fruit juices – while both are highly acidic, both are also full of sugar. While energy drinks may give you energy, they may also give you plenty of dental problems including cavities.

- Candy – this includes both hard candies and soft candies. Hard candies are something to avoid, not only because of the sugar content but also because they can cause chipped or even broken teeth.

3. Sticky Foods

While you might think that dried fruit is a great healthy snack to reach for, your teeth and dentist think otherwise. Sticky foods stay on your teeth longer and get trapped into small areas in your gums and surrounding areas. Daily brushing and flossing might not be enough to save your teeth from the harmful effect of sticky foods.

Helpful hint: Sour gummy candy is the worst of the worst. While they are a type of sticky food, they are also packed full of sugar and are highly acidic. You might think that brushing your teeth right after eating sour gummy candy negates any of the harmful side effects. That, unfortunately, isn’t true and it has the reverse effect on your teeth. Brushing right after eating sour gummy candy causes more harm than good.

4. Alcohol and Wine 

For some people, this could be the hardest to limit. Social drinking and happy hour are enjoyed by many. But drinking too much alcohol leads to dry mouth which decreases the production of saliva. While this may not seem like such a big issue, decreased amounts of saliva can lead to gum disease and tooth decay. You don’t have to completely cut out alcohol and wine, but it is best to limit your intake.

Knowing what foods to limit and avoid leads to overall better dental health. With knowledge and prevention with regular visits to your Lake of the Ozarks, Rolla, and Springfield dentist, you don’t have to completely give up the foods that can cause damage to your teeth. Contact the best dentist in southern Missouri if you’re ready to get your oral health on track.

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile!

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