Acidic Drinks
Soda
Carbonated drinks are notorious bad for your health. Not only are they full or artificial flavors and coloring, they also contain a significant amount of harmful sugars and acid. The acid in soda is incredibly harmful to teeth and makes regular and diet soda equally as bad for your dental health. Instead of ordering soda at the restaurant, try replacing it with water or another less-acidic beverage.Juice
Juice might seem healthy because it comes from fruit, but it can actually be deceiving. Juice from the grocery store is concentrated and high in sugar and acidity. Instead of drinking a glass of apple juice, try eating fresh apple slices to give yourself a boost without the adding calories, sugar, and tooth-destroying acid.Food & Other Acid Sources
Citrus
Citrus fruits (lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, etc.) can have a lot of overall health benefits, but they are also very high in acid. This acid can erode the enamel on your teeth, causing them to be sensitive and more prone to cavities. To get the health benefits of these fruits without causing too much damage to your teeth, try drinking water when you eat them. Drinking water can help to wash away some of the acid so your teeth aren't exposed for as long.
Sweets
Who doesn't love treating themselves every once in a while? While some treats are okay in moderation, an excessive amount of sweets is very bad for your teeth. Sour candy can be particularly bad because of the high levels of acid used to make that sour taste. Sugar itself is bad enough, but it can also cause more issues by providing food to acid-creating bacteria in your mouth.Stomach Acid
This is clearly an acid that you want to avoid. If you get frequent upset stomachs or acid reflux, then your enamel could be suffering from erosion due to the additional exposure to acid. If you suffer from these conditions, it is important to seek professional, medical help.
Signs of Erosion
If you consume a lot of acidic foods and drinks as part of your diet, then you could be on the path to some serious dental issues. Check out these signs and symptoms to see if your enamel may already be experiencing erosion.
- Tooth Sensitivity - Hot, cold, and overly sweet items will cause tooth pain.
- Discoloration - Teeth will become more and more yellow.
- Rounding - Teeth may start to look rounded as corners wear away.
- Transparent Teeth - Teeth might start looking somewhat see-through, especially at the edges.
- Cracks & Cupping - Small cracks and dents may appear on your teeth.
How to Prevent Erosion
To help protect your teeth from acid erosion, try following some of these great tips:
- RINSE with water when you eat or drink something acidic.
- SIP through a straw so that acidic drinks have less contact with your teeth.
- LIMIT sugar intake so that acid-creating bacteria won't thrive in your mouth.
- WAIT to brush your teeth. Brushing right after consuming something acidic will scrub the acid into your teeth even more.
- NEUTRALIZE acidic foods and drinks with foods that are on the basic end of the acidity spectrum.
- WEAKEN drinks that are highly acidic, like juice, by watering them down so they're less intense.
- VISIT the dentist. Regularly visiting the dentist's office for checkups is important to make sure your teeth aren't becoming eroded.
Your Local Dentist
If you are concerned about the health or strength of your teeth, give Access Dental and Dentures a call. We would love to help educate you on what can help improve your dental health, as well as provide a cleaning and check-up to keep your teeth as healthy as possible. Call today!
