Good dental health is
important for your overall well-being. While brushing your teeth after
every meal, flossing every day and scheduling regular dental checkups
are important steps to prevent tooth decay, the foods you eat are a
factor in dental health as well. Too many of the wrong foods, or eating
foods at the wrong times, may cause irreversible damage. Knowing how to
make proper food choices for your teeth will leave you denture-free for
years to come.
Sugary Foods
The
bacteria in your mouth, which cause cavities, love sugar. They consume
sugar and produce an acid that wears away your tooth enamel. In fact,
the American Dental Association claims that one sugar-laden snack
equates to 20 minutes or longer of acid attacking your teeth. Sticky
sweets, like caramels and lollipops, are particularly bad because the
sugars adhere to your teeth. The Yale Medical Group suggests eating
sugary treats as part of a meal rather than as a snack, which will
minimize the amount of time sugar will be in your mouth.
Starches
Starchy
foods, like potato chips and soft breads, pose a similar problem as
sugary snacks. These foods get stuck in your teeth and create a breeding
ground for bacteria. To limit this effect, avoid starchy foods as a
snack. After a starchy meal, brush your teeth as soon as possible to
remove any extra pieces. If you cannot brush your teeth, rinse your
mouth with water to flush the leftover bits from your mouth.
Soft Drinks
Many
soft drinks contain citric acid, sugar and phosphoric acid, which
erodes tooth enamel. For optimal dental health, swap soft drinks for
fluoridated water. If you cannot kick the soda habit, rinse your mouth
with water after drinking a soft drink or chew some sugarless gum. This
helps to rid your mouth of the harmful acids.
Citrus Fruits
Citrus
fruits, like lemons and grapefruit, contain high levels of citric acid.
Citric acid erodes your tooth enamel leaving your teeth susceptible to
cavities. While moderate consumption of citrus fruit is often nothing to
worry about, sucking on lemons or regularly drinking fruit juice may
cause irreversible damage over time. In fact, some people have worn
their teeth down to nubs from sucking on lemons too often. To minimize
the damage that citric acids do to your teeth, avoid brushing your teeth
immediately after eating citrus fruit and use a soft bristled brush.
Citric acid softens your enamel and vigorous brushing may cause dental
abrasions, according to Dr. Martin Addy of the Bristol University School
of Oral and Dental Sciences.