Everybody knows that it’s important to take care of their teeth. Regular brushing, flossing and routine trips to the dentist are the basics, but it’s also important to know that some foods are particularly damaging to teeth.
Many dentists will avoid these foods altogether, but for many, that may not always be practical. It is useful to understand potentially damaging foods so that extra care can be taken to limit the harm. In this article, we will briefly touch on the top 10 foods that damage your teeth.
Carbonated Soft Drink
Soft drink, even diet and sugar free soft drinks, are damaging to teeth. Soft drinks contain corrosive acids that can damage tooth enamel.
Potato Chips
While satisfying to munch on, potato chips can cause substantive damage to teeth. As nearly anyone who has tried this food will attest, it is pretty difficult to eat just one. After the initial crunch is over, potato chips form a starchy gum that easily gets stuck between teeth, providing food for bacteria in plaque.
Hard Candy
Hard candy is dangerous for teeth in two ways. Firstly, it is hard and can cause tooth breakage if it is chewed. Secondly, it is loaded with sugar and causes the mouth to become loaded with a sugary solution that results in mouth borne bacteria. Because it’s best to avoid chewing these candies, the solution often persists for extended periods of time.
Chewy Candy
Chewy candy won’t cause cracking and breaking teeth like hard candies. However, it’s processed sugar contents lingers because chewy candy often gets stuck to your teeth.
Ice
Ice is solid water, and water is something that is useful for reducing the damage that other foods cause to teeth, so why is it on this list? Ice is extremely hard and is one the leading culprits of cracked and broken teeth, so as satisfying as it can be, avoid the temptation to crunch that ice in your drink.
Alcohol
It is well known that alcohol is quite damaging to the human body. Because we like to drink it, the mouth is one of the most susceptible areas to alcohol’s damage. Alcohol dries the mouth, which prevents saliva from protecting your teeth and gum. Different alcoholic beverages have their own added negatives, such as acids in white wine, staining tannin in red wine, and residual sugars in beer.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is a wonderful natural alternative to chewy candies for hiking, but it presents the same chemical disruption to your teeth and gums, predominately the sugar-rich sticky bits that get stuck between your teeth and feeds bacteria.
Refined Carbohydrates
Highly refined carbohydrates, such as those in white bread, are easily broken down by the amylase in saliva into sugar molecules that are accessible to bacteria.
Citrus
Many natural cleaning products contain large quantities of citrus because citrus fruits contain natural acids that are corrosive, and therefore useful cleaners. These same acids can be corrosive to teeth and gums, so be wary of prolonged exposure.
Coffee
Many Australians would find it difficult to live without coffee, but it can be extremely damaging to teeth, predominately through staining.
Book an Appointment with Ipswich Family Dental Practice
Ipswich Family Dental Practice can help with all your dental needs. From children’s dentistry to dental implants, we are your friendly local experts. Get in touch with us today online to book an appointment and call us on 07 3281 1781.
