There are foods and drinks that you already know can cause harm to your teeth and affect your oral health. However, you should be aware that there are many types of foods, some of which are healthy in other ways, that may not be easily recognized as also being bad for your teeth. While nothing replaces having a good oral hygiene routine, protect the health of your teeth even more by eliminating or limiting these foods from your diet.
Ice
While ice is just water, it is the state of the water that can damage your teeth. To chew ice, you have to exert substantial pressure on your teeth. This can not only cause damage to your teeth enamel if you bite down in the wrong way, but you can also risk cracking a tooth. If you enjoy ice as a snack, refrain from chewing the ice. Instead, suck on the ice cubes.
Prosecco
The sugar and acid content in the bubbly, Italian white wine can be just as damaging to your smile as coffee and soda. Your tooth enamel can be worn away by the drink if you do not drink it in moderation and take excellent care of your teeth.
Bread
The danger bread can present to your teeth is sugars can be formed from the starches in the bread. The longer the sugars remain on your teeth, the more time they have to wear away at the enamel. Just make sure to carefully brush your teeth and floss thoroughly after eating any starchy foods to keep your teeth in good condition.
Bottled Water
The companies that sell bottled water routinely add certain minerals to improve the taste of the water. This results in water that is slightly more acidic than the water you would drink from the tap. Drinking enough of the bottled water daily means that your teeth are being constantly exposed to water that can damage the enamel and cause other health complications.
Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are some of the foods that present a wide range of health-related benefits, but are still bad for your teeth. Dried apples, prunes, raisin, dried mangos, dried pineapples, dried apricots, dried bananas and other delicious and popular dried fruits can easily adhere to the surface of your teeth and in between your teeth. Once the food particles are there and are not properly brushed or flossed away, they become food havens for the bacteria that can cause tooth decay and gum disease.
Foods Containing Citrus
Not only do you have to be concerned with the citrus, or citric acid, that occurs naturally in foods like lemons, oranges, tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables, but you have to be careful of the citrus that is used as an additive in numerous processed foods in order to give them a longer shelf life. Citrus can be hazardous to your oral health because it can erode the enamel from your teeth, making them more vulnerable to decay. To reduce your citrus intake, opt for fruits with low citrus content and examine the ingredient list of processed foods before you buy.
For some foods that are good for your oral health, click HERE.
