Foods That are Bad for your Teeth and Dental Health
When you were a child your parents likely warned you that eating sweets would rot your teeth. You’ve always known, then, that what you eat has an impact on your dental health. Some foods are worst than others of course. Did you know that the following foods are bad for your teeth and dental health?
- As your mom told you, candy is bad for your teeth. The type of candy matters, though. Sticky and chewy candies combine a high sugar content with stickiness, while hard candy can crack your enamel or chip your tooth. Letting them melt in your mouth doesn’t help, because it gives them more time to saturate your mouth with sugar. Probably the worst candy is sour candy. It’s sugary and sticky, and it contains acids that wear away your tooth enamel. You can’t even solve the problem by brushing your teeth right after you eat it, because that will further damage the enamel. If you want candy, a safer bet is a piece of chocolate!
- Fruit isn’t always great for your teeth. Some fresh fruits can actually help keep your teeth clean. When you eat dried or canned fruits, drink fruit juice, or eat a lot of citrus fruit, you may be doing your teeth more harm than good. Dried fruit is sugary and sticky, canned fruit often contains added sugar, and fruit juice and citrus fruits are highly acidic. You can still indulge, but rinse your mouth with water immediately afterward.
- Starchy foods can be just as bad as the sugary ones. When you eat bread, all that starch meets your saliva and turns into sugar. The more refined the starchy foods are, the worse they are for your teeth, so ditch white bread, pasta, crackers, and chips in favor of whole grains.
- Sometimes, your drink is the problem. Sports drinks are loaded with sugar. Coffee and tea can dry out your mouth and stain your teeth, and when you add sugar you rob them of their natural health benefits. Alcohol dries out your mouth, so if you’re going to drink it, make sure you’re drinking water. Perhaps the worst drink for your teeth is soda. Carbonated beverages can damage your enamel, but soda has acids, sugar, and the dark color that stains your teeth.
To protect your teeth, eat a healthy diet and see your dentist regularly. At Belmont Dental Group, our team of dentists provides personalized and gentle dental care, backed up by more than 25 years of experience in all phases of dentistry, from teeth cleaning to cosmetic dentistry to emergency care. We’re committed to helping patients become partners in their own dental health, always have your best interests in mind, and will use our training and technology to benefit you and your family. If you’re looking for quality dental services and personalized care, call (617) 484-2431 or contact us through our website to learn more.