28 Mar Foods That Damage Your Teeth
Foods That Damage Your Teeth
Your teeth are incredibly important to both your oral health and overall appearance. While brushing and flossing are essential, it is critical to avoid, or limit, the consumption of certain foods and beverages that can damage your teeth, leading to the need for preventable dental treatments. Let’s have a look at some of these so that you can maintain your confident smile.
The Root Cause
You’ve no doubt heard that oral bacteria can harm your teeth and gums. But do you really know exactly how they do this? Although most of the bacteria found in the mouth are completely harmless, some of them feed upon the foods and beverages that you consume, particularly ones containing a high amount of sugar.
The sugar that you eat allows bacteria to multiply and secrete acids that damage your teeth and gums. Over time, a sticky film called plaque can develop over your teeth, which harbors bacteria and eventually leads to periodontal disease, more commonly known as gum disease.
As gum disease progresses, it can cause the gums to become tender and bleed. Eventually, the condition can become irreversible and lead to permanent tooth loss.
Below are some of the most common types of foods and beverages that can damage your teeth:
Candy
Let’s start with the most obvious culprit: candy. The sheer amount of sugar in these snacks directly feeds oral bacteria that damage the teeth and gums. So feel free to indulge occasionally, but limit your consumption of candy, particularly hard candy that can also lead to chipped or fractured teeth.
Starchy Foods
These foods can be a bit sneaky in the way that they damage the teeth, largely because we don’t normally think of them as containing sugar. Foods like bread, pasta, and chips are high in refined carbohydrates that your saliva breaks down into sugars. These types of foods also have a tendency to get stuck between the teeth, leading to the development of cavities.
Sodas
Sodas are a double whammy, containing both sugar and acids. This one-two punch of sugary acidity is extremely destructive to teeth. The acids eat away at the tooth enamel, making your teeth more vulnerable to oral bacteria.
An occasional indulgence in a soda is fine. Just remember to rinse your mouth out with water immediately after consuming these drinks.
Coffee, Tea and Red Wine
The main impact of these types of beverages is on the appearance of your teeth. Compounds like tannins can stain your teeth over time. So limit your consumption of these beverages. It also helps to sip them through a straw to bypass your teeth altogether.
Ice
As you work your way down a drink with ice in it, it can be tempting to chew on the leftover ice cubes. The problem is that ice can be extremely hard, leading to the possibility of chipped or fractured teeth.
Contact Us
Please contact us if you need additional information about how to avoid damaging your teeth with foods and beverages. Or if you’ve already experienced some degree of tooth damage, please reach out to Blue Wave Dental Care to schedule a consultation.