The 7 WORST Foods and Drinks For Your Teeth (According To Experts)
We’ve all heard that eating too much chocolate or drinking too much seltzer can cause our teeth to decay, however what other foods and drinks may also be causing us trouble? Nobody likes spending time at the dentist, that’s why it’s best to know which of our food habits may be sending us to the doctor more and more often. Here are some of the worst foods and drinks for your teeth.
Nobody likes spending time at the dentist
The Worst Foods and Drinks For Your Teeth
Your diet impacts your health directly. This also means your teeth, gums, and oral health in general. However, some foods and drinks have a stronger and worse impact than others. So, let’s see which of our favorite foods and drinks may be causing us harm.
Some foods and drinks have a stronger and worse impact than others
#Alcohol
This one probably doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone. We all know alcohol isn’t really healthy. Constantly getting hangovers isn’t really what you would call a healthy way of living. Other than your liver and cells, alcohol also has a negative effect on your teeth. When you drink, your mouth dries out. And a mouth that is dry is lacking in saliva, which is essential when it comes to keeping teeth healthy. Saliva can help repair early signs of tooth decay, helps to protect from oral infections and gum disease. So, drinking alcohol essentially takes all that away leaving your mouth unprotected.
When you drink, your mouth dries out
#Sour Candy
Sour candy may be one of your favorite snacks, but they are one of the worst foods you can bring into your mouth. We all know that candy in general is not the best for teeth health, however sour candies are the biggest menace of all. They introduce a bunch of different acids to your teeth which are bad for them. And since they are chewy and sticky, parts of them tend to stick around for a long period of time. This means that decay is nearly inevitable. If you have a sweet tooth, swap out the sour candies for a piece of chocolate.
Candy in general is not the best for teeth health
#Soda Drinks
Soda, pop, soft or carbonated drinks. While these types of drinks may have a ton of different names, their effect on teeth is the same. Studies show that drinking soft drinks in large amounts over time can have the same effect on your teeth as using cocaine, crack, or methamphetamine. They can also lead to hair loss. Such drinks just enable the production of plaque and acid production that attacks the teeth’s enamel. By drinking soda’s on the daily you are just basically coating your teeth in acid. And like alcohol, they also dry out your mouth. To top it all off if you enjoy dark-colored soda’s they can also stain your teeth.
Such drinks just enable the production of plaque
#Dried Fruits
But aren’t fruits supposed to be good for you? Well, they are. However, this many dried fruits tend to be quite sticky. This includes apricots, raisins, prunes and so on. Such sticky foods easily cling to the teeth, just like sour candy, and leave behind a ton of sugar. It’s best to enjoy the fresh versions of fruits as they won’t stick to your teeth. If you do enjoy snacking on dried fruits, just make sure to rinse your mouth with some water afterwards.
Such sticky foods easily cling to the teeth
#Ice
We are all probably guilt of chewing on ice from time to time. It’s one of the little hard things we think it’s okay to munch down on. However, for our teeth, it’s essentially like trying to eat a rock. Chewing on such hard substances damages enamel and can cause dental emergencies, such as loose crowns, broken, cracked or chipped teeth. All things you want to avoid. You can still add ice to your beverages, just don’t chew on it.
Chewing on such hard substances damages enamel
#Sugary Foods
Having a sweet tooth, can severely damage your teeth and gums. Such treats only lead to bacteria building up with causes gum disease and causes decay. Some of the worst sugary snacks include lollipops, hard candies, caramels, and jelly beans as they tend to stay in your mouth for longer and give your saliva a hard time trying to wash them away. But we know it’s unrealistic to not enjoy any types of sweet. So, here are some general rules to follow – eat them after a meal and drink plenty of water afterwards.
The worst sugary snacks include lollipops, hard candies, caramels, and jelly beans
#Coffee
Everybody’s favorite drink. While having a cup of coffee on its own isn’t too bad for your oral health, a small percentage of people actually drink this beverage clean. We love to add on heaps of sugar and creamers. Here comes part of the damage. Another set back when it comes to coffee is the fact that is stains your teeth and also drys out your mouth. Yikes!
We love to add on heaps of sugar and creamers to coffee
These were the worst foods and drinks for your teeth. We hope you found this article useful. While it’s impossible to avoid these foods at all costs, it’s good to know where to cut down. After all, nobody wants to spend all their time and money at the dentist’s office.
It’s good to know where to cut down
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