The Silent Tooth Destroyers
Did you know that your kitchen may be home to silent tooth destroyers? Many of the everyday foods and drinks you like can quietly wear down the tooth’s enamel or feed cavity-causing bacteria. While not all foods in your kitchen may be bad, the Dentistry at Windermere team wants to remind our patients about the dangers that may be hiding in your kitchen cupboards.
1. Sugary Snacks
Many foods we enjoy contain sugar, but to help keep your teeth healthy, consider cutting down on the foods that may have sugar in abundance. That can include candies, pastries, and even granola bars. These sugary and sticky foods stick to your teeth, which helps to encourage bacterial growth. That bacteria can start eating away at the enamel of your teeth and begin to cause dental caries and then dental cavities. While you don’t have to avoid sugary treats, you should limit your sugar intake and rinse your mouth out with water after every snack to help even out the pH balance in your mouth.
2. Fruit Juices
Fruit juice is a drink that can be controversial. While many fruit juices contain the vitamins and nutrients that are recommended, many fruit juices are loaded with sugars, both natural and artificial, that can cause harm. Prolonged exposure to these sugars can wear down the tooth’s enamel over time. Instead of sipping on juice all day, save juice for meals, and sip on water throughout the day to help keep those sugars and bacteria at bay.
3. Sodas
Sodas of all types, including diet sodas, are full of sugars. Over time, especially with prolonged exposure, like when sipping on a drink for a while, bacteria can gather and eat away at the tooth’s enamel, which can cause cavities to form. Sodas and other dye-heavy foods and drinks can also cause discoloration and staining of the teeth. Remember to rinse your mouth with water after you are done consuming these types of foods. Or, better yet, brush your teeth to help remove any bacteria and acid that may be sticking to your teeth.
4. Sports and Energy Drinks
Many sports and energy drinks have high levels of acid in them. Bacteria love acidic foods and drinks, and feed on them, which makes the bacteria fester and eat away at the tooth’s enamel faster. Drinks that are high in acidity can also cause tooth sensitivity because of a quicker rate of enamel erosion.
5. Sticky or Chewy Foods
Sticky foods, like caramel, gummy candy, and dried fruits, tend to cling longer to your teeth after you eat them. You might find that rinsing your mouth with water after eating these foods won’t work, so Dentistry at Windermere suggests brushing your teeth after you are finished consuming these items to help remove debris from your teeth.
6. Starchy Snacks
Many people think that starchy snacks, like chips, crackers, or pretzels, are good for teeth because these snacks are crunchy and require a lot of chewing. That isn’t the case because these starchy snacks break down into sugars, which feed bad cavity-causing bacteria. While you don’t have to avoid these snacks altogether, limit how often you are snacking on them, and remember to rinse away some of the bad bacterias with water when you are done snacking.
7. Citrus and Acidic Foods
Citrus-based foods and drinks are high in acid. Constant acid exposure can soften the enamel of the tooth, making it a target for bacteria to feed off of and create dental caries and tooth decay. The best bet for combating citrus and acid exposure is to wait 15 to 20 minutes after eating and brush your teeth. If you try to brush your teeth too soon after consumption of acidic foods, you can actually harm your teeth by brushing away the already softened tooth enamel.
Visit Dentistry at Windermere twice a year.
The best way to keep your teeth in top shape is to brush them at least twice a day for a minimum of two minutes each time. However, that isn’t always possible, so Dentistry at Windermere recommends that our patients keep their water bottles full and rinse their mouths out after consuming any sort of food or drink. Rinsing with water can help wash away some of the bad bacteria, and help keep the pH balanced in your mouth.
You can also help keep your teeth in great shape by visiting our Cumming, Georgia, office at least twice a year. Biannual preventative dental care appointments allow our team to evaluate your entire mouth to see if any of your teeth are at risk for cavities. If you haven’t seen us in a while, give us a call today to schedule your twice-yearly appointment!
