Foods and Drinks That Can Harm Your Teeth

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No matter what age you are, the reason for tooth decay is the same. Eating tooth-damaging foods and tooth-damaging beverages can contribute to plaque and tooth decay. Below, you'll learn which foods and drinks can harm your teeth and should be avoided or at least limited, as well as know what to eat to whiten your teeth, to keep your teeth healthy. possible.

Most people realize that exercise and diet play an essential role in keeping them healthy. However, you need to know how important a healthy mouth is to a healthy body?
Poor oral health can affect your quality of life by affecting your mental, physical and social well-being. Tooth loss, mouth infections and mouth sores can affect the way you:
Eat and talk Socialize and interact with other people Certain foods can contribute to dental problems that can affect your health. Your health that you should know:

1. Sugary candies

If you are a fan of sweets, eat those that quickly melt in your mouth. Candies that stay in your mouth for a while, such as caramel, lollipops, hard candies, etc., will make it harder for your saliva to wash away the sugar.
The sugar in candy feeds harmful bacteria in your mouth, which leads to the production of acids that break down tooth enamel. This is why added sugar in the diet is considered the most important risk factor for tooth decay.
Remember that natural sugars found in foods like fruit and dairy products have not been shown to significantly contribute to tooth decay.
This is because natural sources of sugar provide protective compounds, like fiber and minerals, and stimulate saliva flow in the mouth, which helps protect teeth and gums.
On the other hand, added sugars like high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar can significantly contribute to the development of tooth decay and poor oral health.
Many studies have shown that children and adults with diets high in added sugars have a significantly higher risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
Eating a lot of added sugars can also harm your gums by contributing to increased inflammation and oxidative stress, which can damage gum tissue.
A 2014 study including data from 2,437 young adults found that regularly eating added sugar was associated with a higher risk of gum disease.
If you can't resist eating sweets, try eating them after meals, instead of snacks. And brush your teeth after you eat anything sweet.

2. Soda and soft drinks

Sugary drinks like soda, sugary coffee drinks and energy drinks have many negative health effects. They promote cardiovascular disease, weight gain, insulin resistance and more. So it's no surprise that sugary drinks are also bad for your teeth and gums.
These drinks affect your teeth in the way that they themselves contain acids, providing food for the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Bacteria that cause tooth decay, typically Streptococcus mutans, feed on sugar and produce acids that demineralize or break down tooth enamel.
So acidic, sugary drinks like cola have a big impact on your teeth. Not only are they naturally acidic, but they also lead to more acid production.
Research shows that soft drinks and sugary drinks are very corrosive to your teeth. In fact, regular consumption of acidic carbonated beverages such as soda and sports drinks is considered a major dietary factor in tooth erosion.
Although some people may think that diet soda is a better choice for oral health, it is not. In fact, diet cola has been shown to be more corrosive to tooth enamel than regular Coca-Cola. The researchers suggest that diet cola may actually be more corrosive to teeth because it contains citric acid, which binds calcium and removes it from the teeth
Holding soda and other acidic drinks in the mouth has can have a serious effect on enamel, as this increases the time the acidic substance is in contact with your teeth

Experts say you should also avoid brushing immediately after drinking acidic drinks, like soda, because your enamel is vulnerable.
Regular consumption of colas, sports drinks and other acidic drinks can lead to irreversible damage to your teeth.
Plus, studies have shown that in young people, consumption of sugary drinks is linked to tooth decay, or tooth decay, which is a major cause of tooth loss
For this reason, it's best You should avoid or limit sugary, acidic drinks as much as possible. It is better to choose filtered water

3. Sugary cereals and cakes

These food choices not only leave you feeling hungry for an hour or so due to the lack of protein and other important nutrients, but these foods are also high in added sugars and refined carbs, which are not good for your teeth.
Some sugary cereals and baked goods contain several teaspoons of added sugar per serving, which can contribute to tooth erosion and gum disease.
Processed breakfast cereals and cereal-based sweets are some of the top contributors to added sugar in children and adolescents 6–19 years of age.
If you regularly reach for breakfast foods that are high in added sugars, such as cereals or sugary breakfast cakes, try switching to a lower-sugar and healthier breakfast.

4. Dried fruit

Dried fruits, like apricots, raisins and pineapples, are certainly delicious, but consuming them regularly can lead to tooth decay. Dried fruit contains concentrated amounts of sugar and its gum-like texture can cause it to stick to your teeth.

5. Fruit juice

Although 100% fruit juice contains a lot of important nutrients, drinking too often may not be good for your oral health.
Fruit juices are acidic and can erode tooth enamel. This is especially true of more acidic varieties, like grape, orange, apple, and lemon juice.
A 2016 review of 13 studies including a total of 16,661 children aged 8–19 years found that the more acidic juices children drank, the more likely they were to have tooth wear.
Fruits made with acidic juices, plus added sugars, can also damage teeth.
A German study from 2016 found that apple and orange juices were 5 times more likely to corrode cattle tooth samples than soft Coca-Cola soft drinks.
A 2019 study found that ice cubes made with grape, pineapple, and orange juice lowered the pH in saliva the most compared to refrigerator and room temperature juices.
In other words, ice is more acidic and therefore more destructive to teeth than liquid juice.
Holding fruit juice in the mouth will prolong the time of exposure to the acid, further damaging the teeth. Eating frozen fruit is considered highly destructive to teeth and should be avoided for optimal oral health

6. White bread and refined starchy foods

Refined carbs, like white bread and white rice, and certain starchy foods, like French fries, can contribute to poor oral health.
As with sugar, bacteria in the mouth quickly ferment the sugars found in carb sources like white bread and chips, creating acids that eat away at tooth enamel.
Eating a lot of these foods has been linked to an increased risk of tooth decay.
A 2011 study in 198 children found that high consumption of processed starches, such as french fries, was associated with a significantly increased risk of tooth decay.
A 2020 review including 5 studies also found that eating processed starchy foods between meals was associated with a higher risk of tooth decay.
Furthermore, some studies suggest that starchy foods may increase the caries-causing effects of sugar. Starch sticks, increases the time sugar stays on the teeth and leads to an acidic environment in the mouth for a long time.
Swapping out processed starchy foods, like white bread and chips, for more nutrient-dense carb sources, like fruit, sweet potatoes and whole grains, can help improve your oral health.

7. Alcoholic Beverages

Alcoholic beverages, especially those with added sugar and acidic ingredients, are not good for oral health.
Alcohol use is considered an important risk factor for oral cancer because it affects the permeability of the oral mucosa, making it more vulnerable to potentially cancer-promoting substances .
In fact, studies have shown that heavy drinking is associated with an increased risk of oral cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, and laryngeal cancer. Furthermore, alcohol can cause dry mouth, increase acidity in the mouth, increase cravings for processed and palatable foods, and alter the balance of oral bacteria, all of which can be harmful to your health. tooth.
Studies show that people with alcohol use disorders have an increased risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and gum damage. Plus, people with alcohol use disorders may be less likely to have regular dental visits, which can lead to dental problems.
If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation and limit drinks with added sugar and highly acidic ingredients.

8. Food that is too hard or sticky

Certain foods can increase the risk of chipping or removing fillings. For example, chewing on hard foods, like hard cookies or hard candy, can cause your teeth to chip.
A 2021 study including 56 people found that eating hard foods was significantly associated with the number of cracked teeth in the participants. Chewing ice is a habit that can also contribute to cracked teeth. In addition, sticky candies can increase the risk of tooth wear.

9. Pasta sauce

While tomatoes are healthy to eat, they are acidic. When you eat pasta with ketchup, it can do double the damage to your enamel since the acidic sauce breaks down your enamel and the pasta's carbs help feed the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Instead, try eating some macaroni with cheese.

10. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is well known for its detoxifying properties, but it is highly acidic and can erode your tooth enamel quickly. If you drink apple cider vinegar, add water and drink it all at once instead of sipping. Then rinse your mouth and brush your teeth thoroughly afterwards.

11. Tea and coffee

You've always wanted to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee every morning, but if your teeth have been seeming a bit discolored lately, that coffee could very well be the reason why. Coffee contains acidic polyphenols called tannins that can lead to dullness and discoloration. Plus, coffee is also very acidic for the body and acidic foods can harm your oral health and lead to tooth decay.
As for tea, tea can clean the stomach, but in tea there are tannins that cause yellow teeth. If you continue to sip tea every morning, you will be more susceptible to discoloration and acid attack on your teeth. To combat tea stains, research published in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene recommends adding a little milk to your cup! Casein in milk has the effect of preventing and significantly reducing stains caused by tea.

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Reference source: dentalchoice.ca, healthline.com