What Are the Bad Foods for Teeth?
Bad foods for teeth: How do you take care of your oral health? Some recommendations mostly concern risks such as oral piercings and dental jewelry.
These wise advices target problematic habits, but what are your options regarding daily prevention? Some foods we wouldn’t normally suspect are harmful to your teeth.
Dr. Normand Bach, professional orthodontist and head of University of Montréal’s first-year Orthodontics Department, will give you recommendations to take good care of your teeth every day.
Sugar: Consume with Moderation
Any dental professional will tell you this: sugar can be very harmful to your teeth. It’s a fact we consider obvious, but let’s still take a moment to explain the role of sugar in your oral health.
Sugar in of itself isn’t enough to explain the connection between it and caries. There are bacteria in the mouth: that’s what is known as oral microbiology. It’s a natural event where we have no control.
However, like all other living organisms, bacteria need to eat. They feed on the sugar contained in candy and food to survive. Eating too much sugar basically means feeding the bacteria present in your mouth.
Once fed, they reject acids that dissolve tooth enamel in the long term. Tooth enamel can’t regenerate itself. The result of this reaction is what causes caries.
Obviously, it’s impossible to cut all sugars from your diet, but consume the following with moderation:
- Candy
- Soft drinks
- Fruit juice
- Energy drinks…
Acidic Foods: Protect Your Teeth!
As you might’ve already guessed, what damages tooth enamel the most is acid! This reaction can be caused by different acidic foods. Whether the acid is created by the sugar-fed bacteria or gets in direct contact with your teeth via acidic foods, the result will be the same.
When talking about acidic food, we aren’t really talking about the taste (a citrus is acidic, for example), but rather the pH.
PH measures acidity on a scale of 0 to 14. A healthy mouth should have a neutral pH of 7 or 7.5. Acidic foods change your mouth’s pH.
The most acidic foods that also have the most potential of reducing your tooth enamel’s protection in the long-term are the following:
- Citruses
- Coffee
- Alcoholic beverages
- Tomatoes
- Some apples (Granny Smith, for example)…
Of course, the goal isn’t to inspect everything you eat, but rather to pay attention to things you might be consuming more than recommended. Now that you know the main foods to watch out for, how do you protect your oral health?
Bad Foods for Teeth: Everyday Preventive Actions
Basic dental care is often sufficient to prevent oral health problems in the medium to long-term. A good brushing and using dental floss are generally enough to get rid of dental plaque and the bacteria found on your teeth and gums.
If you wish to take more precautions when drinking some beverages that could damage or stain your teeth, use a straw to avoid as much as possible direct contact to your teeth. Brushing your teeth after a meal also helps maintain a great oral health.
The same way that some foods can ruin your oral health, others can contribute in a positive way. Drinking water during the day helps keeping your mouth in good health by ridding it of food residues that can cause bacteria to spread.
Once these precautions are part of your daily routine, complete your oral maintenance by visiting an orthodontist. Dr. Normand Bach treats each day a variety of orthodontic patients. To get quality oral health care, you can trust Dr. Bach.
Book an appointment today!
