The 8 Worst Foods for Your Teeth

There are a wide variety of foods that can cause plaque build up. Plaque is a bacteria-filled sticky film that can lead to gum disease and tooth decay. After consuming a sugary snack, the sugars can cause the bacteria to release acids that attack tooth enamel. Once the enamel starts to break down, cavities can start to develop. Furthermore, if you don’t floss or brush your teeth the plaque can start to harden and turn to tartar. However, if you avoid some of the foods below it can lessen your chances of having plaque buildup or cavities.

One of the first foods you should avoid is sour candies. It’s not surprising that candies can lead to cavities, but sour candies have a lot more downsides. These types of candies contain a lot more acids that are tougher on your teeth. Since they’re chewy, they can stick to your teeth for a longer time as well which can lead to decay. The second type of food you should avoid is bread. When you chew bread, your saliva breaks down the starches into sugar. When the bread becomes a gummy paste-like substance in your mouth, it sticks to the crevices between teeth which can lead to cavities. In order to avoid this, its recommended to eat more whole wheat bread. The third thing you should try your best to avoid is alcohol. When you drink it can dry out your mouth which can cause a lack of saliva. In order to keep teeth healthy you need saliva since it prevents food from sticking to your teeth and washes away food particles. In order to prevent dry mouth its best to drink a lot of water and use fluoride rinses.

Another type of drink to avoid is carbonated drinks even if its diet. Carbonated sodas enable plaque to produce more acid to attack tooth enamel. If you have a daily soda you’re basically coating your teeth with acid everyday. Not only that, but dark colored sodas can stain your teeth and make them darker. Besides drinks, the ice that goes into your drinks can negatively affect your teeth as well. Chewing ice can not only damage enamel, but it can lead to chipped or cracked teeth.

Going back to food, some more foods that one should lessen the consumption of is citrus and dried fruit. Oranges, grapefruits, and lemons can be delicious in fruits and juices since they have a lot of vitamin C. However, their acid content can erode enamel which can make teeth more vulnerable to decay. Even if you just squeeze a lemon or lime into water it can add acids to your drink. In regards to dried fruit, you may assume that they are healthy for you but in all actuality they can cling to the crevices of your teeth and leave sticky sugar. Dried fruit also tends to contain a lot of added sugar. If you can’t seem to give up dried fruit, its recommended to brush and loss right after consuming it.