“You are what you eat” as the old saying goes, and what you usually eat can be seen through the state of your dental cavity – its structure and overall wellness.

Poor choice of food may impact your health and may eventually lead to deterioration of your mental and physical well-being. Inadequate nutrients may cause an incomplete set of teeth and oral infections that would affect your eating, speaking, and even your socializing ways. 

Undoubtedly, bad oral health greatly affects your confidence and perspective of life in general. How can you achieve and maintain good oral hygiene aside from the usual practice of brushing and flossing?

Top 6 Foods To Avoid

As your diet greatly affects the healthiness of your buccal cavity. It is very important to take note of certain foods that usually cause oral issues and may profoundly affect your overall well-being. We have listed and categorized some of these foods below for your reference; 

Sugary Sweets and Candies

Decay-causing bacteria that live inside the mouth feed on sugars. These bacteria break down sugar-producing acid as a result. The acid accumulated in the mouth tears down enamel which causes cavities and tooth decay. One decaying tooth may lead to a lot of annoying oral health problems hence prevention should always be a top priority. 

Generally speaking, “sugary” foods are not limited to candies. These terms refer to a wide variety of sweets that include fruits, jams, chocolates, soda, fruit juices, and alcohol to name a few. All these may contain high amounts of sugars and acidity levels so it will be wise to carefully read through the nutrition facts of each product before consumption. 

It is a known fact that life without sweets is just boring hence we give you this ever-crucial advice; If you want to enjoy sweets, choose those that quickly dissolve in the mouth. Some sweets such as caramels, hard candies, and jellybeans stay in your mouth for quite some time because your saliva just cannot immediately wash away a large amount of sugar. 

And of course, some sweets are simply irresistible hence try eating them after meals rather than in between. And most importantly, brush your teeth as often as possible especially after eating a large number of sweets. 

Carbonated Drinks

Carbonated drinks, whether sugar-free, contain acids. These can cause damage to the teeth and may eventually lead to dental cavitation and erosion. Nothing beats water but if you must drink carbonated drinks, keep in mind that you must refrain from brushing your teeth immediately after since the acids often soften the teeth’ structure making them at risk of abrasion. 

Did You Know; A recent research from Trusted Source found substantial evidence of dental damages arising from drinking large quantities of carbonated soda. These damages are highly similar to those usually obtained from prolonged usage of synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and crack cocaine! 

Further, carbonated sodas enable plaque to produce more acid in attacking the tooth enamel. So, if you decide to relax and sip soda all day, you are literally exposing (and covering) it to different acids. Another known fact about drinking carbonated drinks is that it typically dries your buccal cavity. This means that when you have less saliva, the more chances for your teeth to decay or obtain abrasions. 

Wines

White and red wines contain erosive acids that soften the enamel. Red wines, in particular, contain compounds called tannins. These compounds can cause dry mouth and leave an awful stain on the teeth. In case drinking wine is part of your to-dos, be sure to brush your teeth beforehand as this practice can help reduce the amount of plaque that tannins could stick to in ruining your precious teeth. 

Starchy foods (crackers, soft bread, potato chips and etc.)

Soft bread and other food primarily made of starch such as crackers and the likes are refined carbohydrates. Several studies show relevant relation between highly refined carbohydrate consumption to diseases arising from general body inflammation. Inflammation remains one of the main causes of various oral chronic diseases such as periodontitis and gingivitis (inflammation of the tissues supporting the oral cavity).

Sugar

Regardless of the type (red, white, refined and etc.), cavitation largely depends on the frequency of intake and not the amount as widely believed. Sugar increases the acidity environment with which the oral cavity’s defenses are torn and get exposed to threats. Frequent intake of the same literally means continuous exposure to dangerous levels of acidity and will ultimately damage the enamel.

Your mouth’s acidity is generally controlled by salivation hence consuming foods that stimulate saliva production greatly reduces the risk of cavitation and dental deterioration. Immediate brushing can also be detrimental to your oral health since it suppresses the normal salivary production and process. Hence, giving a good couple of minutes after eating before brushing would give your mouth its chance to do the normal process of salivation, re-mineralizing the enamels that may have been dissolved by the recent acidity.

Dried Fruits

Dried fruit contains highly concentrated sugar which could cling on to your teeth and may also cause tooth decay. 

The bottom line; sugar and acid are your healthy white teeth’ worst enemies. Consumption of foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals vital to the body’s bone development continues to be crucial on top of proper and consistent hygiene. Good nutrition remains vital in building strong gums and teeth. 

There’s More To Dental Health

To contact Nevada emergency dentists, click on the link. We aim to provide the best oral health to our clients and we take pride in our satisfied patients and our excellent out-patient care. Call us today for questions about your dental health and set up an appointment for a comprehensive dental examination and health advice.