Every day we brush and floss, just before bed and after every meal. It’s the only way to take care of your teeth, right?
Not necessarily. While you should keep brushing and flossing, there are a few additional things you can do to promote healthy teeth, including being selective in what you eat.
You’d be surprised by just how many foods are terrible for your teeth. Read on for the top 5 harmful foods that are terrible for your teeth.
Bread
Who doesn’t love a slice of fresh, warm bread? Crunchy on the outside, soft and pillowy on the inside. Bread is the perfect addition to every meal – But it’s terrible for your teeth.
Once you start chewing on a piece of bread, the soft pillow way inside turns into a sticky gooey mush. It coats your teeth and fills the cracks and crevices.
To make things worse, your saliva quickly breaks down the starches in the bread and turns them into sugar. After only a few seconds the coating of sugar starts eating away at your teeth.
Soda
Even if you’re drinking sugar-free soda, you’re still causing harm to your teeth.
To your teeth, sugar is sugar – alternative or not.
When you drink soda, your saliva reacts to the sugars in it and starts to form an acid. This acid sits on your teeth and eats away at the enamel.
If you’re like any typical soda drinker, you probably sip on soda all day long. It won’t take long and you’ll end up needing a deep cleaning, and potentially cosmetic dentistry.
Alcohol
Alcohol is similar to bread in that it contains a lot of starch and sugar.
Once your body starts digesting the starches, the sugar ends up in every small crevice, from between your teeth to underneath your gums.
Coffee and Tea
Have you ever stopped to take a look at how much sugar is in that caramel macchiato latte? Ever considered the sugar content in your tea after you’ve stirred in 2 tablespoons of honey?
On top of the sugar, coffees and teas are notorious for staining your teeth a brownish color.
If you must have that morning cup of Joe, dentists recommend sipping it through a straw.
Dried Fruits
But, dried fruits are good for you! My doctor told me I should eat more fruit!
Yes, fruits and dried fruits are very good friends, but they aren’t so great for your teeth.
Dried fruits, in particular, can be very sticky and gooey. Think about the last time you put your hand into a box of raisins, after about one second your whole hand becomes sticky. Now imagine how much gunk gets on your teeth after you’ve eaten several of them.
It’s okay to eat dried fruits, just make sure to do a quick brush once you’ve finished.
If You Must Eat the Harmful Foods, Always Brush
Your teeth have to last you a lifetime, so it’s important to do everything you can to keep them clean and healthy. Brush and floss regularly, avoid harmful foods, and visit your dentist for routine cleanings.
Browse through the rest of our site for more ways to stay healthy and happy.
