When you know what the worst foods are for your teeth, you can make healthy choices that delay or prevent cavities. Here are the 7 worst foods for your teeth to avoid or eliminate altogether.
1. Sour Candy
Candy isn’t great for your teeth, but sour candy is actually worse than the sweet stuff. Why? Because it’s loaded with acid, which gives it that sour flavor. Acid is naturally tough on teeth. Since sour candy tends to be sticky, the acid stays in contact with your teeth for longer, leading to more tooth decay.
2. Soda
Just like sour candy, sodas are high in acid. Dark sodas, like root beer or cola, cause tooth staining. Sodas also dry out your mouth – and you need saliva to wash bacteria out of your mouth. There are many health reasons to avoid soda, so let us give you three more reasons to think twice when ordering pop.
3. Ice
Chewing on ice seems like a good way to cool down on a hot day. Unfortunately, if you make a habit of chewing ice, you can damage your enamel. Ice chewing leads to chipped enamel, broken teeth, and cracked teeth.
If you have tooth damage from chewing on ice, consider cosmetic dentistry to repair the damage. Then replace icy drinks with cold drinks and avoid the temptation to chew ice.
4. Dried Fruit
Dried fruits are healthy, but they are still bad for your teeth. Just like sour candies, dried fruit can stick to your teeth. Dried fruit is naturally high in sugar, which is bad for teeth. Consider fresh fruit instead of dried or brush and floss after eating dried fruit.
5. Citrus
Citrus fruit is naturally high in acid, which does not mix with tooth health. There are many benefits to eating citrus, so you shouldn’t say no to grapefruits and oranges altogether. To flush the acid out of your mouth, drink water after eating citrus fruit.
6. Alcohol
Booze is bad for your teeth for two reasons. One, many mixed drinks are high in sugar and soda, which are bad for teeth. Two, alcohol dehydrates you – and saliva helps flush out bacteria for a healthy mouth.
7. Bread
Soft bread often sticks in the crevices in your mouth. The starch in the bread breaks down into sugar, a sworn enemy of teeth. As the sugar sits on your teeth, it creates bacteria. You don’t have to give up sandwiches altogether, but try to replace white bread with whole wheat bread, which takes longer to break down.
Now that you know the worst foods for your teeth, you can make choices that protect oral health. If you feel guilty about eating these foods, come to Weninger Dentistry for a cleaning. We’ll scrub plaque and tartar from your teeth to restore a healthy smile. We can also provide cosmetic dentistry services to improve the look of your smile. Contact us to learn more: 813-501-6864.