Although you may not realize it, your diet directly impacts oral health. Different foods and beverages can cause plaque build-up and tear away at your enamel, leading to serious oral health issues. To prevent serious health effects on your teeth from what you eat, you should avoid certain foods. Please continue reading to learn the worst foods for your teeth and how our skilled New Jersey Dental Team can help you maintain your oral health.
What foods should I avoid for healthy teeth?
This may seem obvious. However, many people neglect to realize how harmful candy is to oral health. Sour candies, particularly, should be avoided as they are incredibly unhealthy for your mouth. Sour candy contains different kinds of acids that are harder on your teeth, which can lead to tooth decay. Candy is loaded with sugar and, because they’re chewy, can stick to your teeth for a more extended period, meaning they can get stuck in the crevices and spaces between your teeth, resulting in plaque build-up. Ultimately, hard candies can lead to cavities and tooth decay.
Another food you should try to avoid to maintain healthy teeth is starch-based products such as potato chips and bread. Like hard candies, starch-based products tend to get lodged between teeth. When food particles linger, they give plaque-causing bacteria something to grab onto. If plaque builds up on your teeth, it eats away the enamel, causing cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. It’s also crucial to note that carbohydrates break down into simple sugars, meaning bacteria in your mouth will feed off the sugars and eat away at your teeth.
Should I avoid dried fruits?
Moreover, it would be best if you watched out for dried fruits. While you may assume this is a healthy snack, dried fruits are sticky. Therefore, apricots, prunes, figs, and raisins will easily stick to your teeth and make their way into your crevices, leaving behind sugar. As mentioned above, when sugar is left in your mouth, it combines with bacteria and eats away at your teeth. Furthermore, although you may enjoy tomatoes, you should limit your intake as they’re highly acidic. The acidic nature of the tomato breaks down the enamel on your teeth. This can cause cavities.
Ultimately, if you plan on consuming any of the above-listed foods, it’s essential to ensure that you rinse your mouth with water and brush and floss your teeth. Keeping your teeth in good condition is a commitment, but the results are worth it for your overall health. You should avoid these foods to help support your dental health.
If you have concerns about your oral health, please don’t hesitate to schedule a visit with our professional team of dentists at the Dental Associates of Basking Ridge. We are prepared to help combat the damage you may have caused by consuming certain foods.
