What’s Bad For Your Teeth?

11 Sep What’s Bad For Your Teeth?

You might be consuming things daily that are just downright bad for your teeth. According to a recent report in Reader’s Digest… brushing, flossing, and rinsing is simply not enough when you’re eating the wrong type of food. This not only holds true for children, but adults as well.

Below is a list of the top five foods/ drinks that can ruin your teeth:

1. Hard Candy – You might think a mint after a meal is a good move. Or, sucking on a cough drop to soothe your throat would be right. But, not when it comes to your teeth. These types of hard candies have a demineralization effect due to a concentrated build-up of acid. It is recommended that if you must use lozenges of any kind on a regular basis to purchase the sugar-free types instead.
2. Sticky Candy and Certain Fruit – When you have a craving for chocolate, caramel, toffee, or gummy bears… we know… you must indulge. But, please… brush your teeth after. If you don’t and something gets stuck to your teeth your saliva cannot neutralize the acid or remineralize the area. This can result in a loss of calcium. Bacteria converts sugars into acid, which is why it’s so important that you brush your teeth after consuming sticky candy or berries.
3. Sports Drinks – You run, play sports, and you need the replenishment. We get it. But, sports drinks, like Gatorade or Powerade, are acidic to begin with. This sugary liquid can actually stick to your teeth for long periods of time. Water is your best bet to consume when it comes to your teeth.
4. Lemons – Many people really love the sweet and sour taste of lemons. Some people even suck and chew on them for long periods of time. But, if you do that… you’re demineralizing your enamel right away because lemons are extremely acidic. Try to use lemons as an enhancement to your meal or a garnish for your drink. The less you consume of them… the better for your dental health.
5. Sodas and Fruit Juice – Every now and then consuming a can of soda or bottle of fruit juice isn’t too terrible. However, if you swish it around for long periods of time then you can cause harm to your teeth. It’s sugar and carbonic acid that seem to be the real problems here, which can cause demineralization. This can be minimized if you drink water after you consume the soda or juice. You can also keep a stash of straws on hand in order to keep those sugary drinks away from your pearly whites.

If you have dental concerns… The Dental Partners of 5th Avenue can help address them.