Foods That Can Harm Your Oral Health

Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet is crucial for a healthy mouth. As you probably know, brushing twice a day for two minutes each time and flossing daily can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease, but how does food affect your teeth? While some healthy foods can promote healthy teeth and gums, foods high in sugar, sticky foods, etc., are known to be the major culprits contributing to tooth decay and other dental issues. Here are the common foods that can damage our oral health: 

• Sugar

Sugar is one of the leading causes of tooth decay. Bacteria in the mouth use sugar from foods and drinks to produce acids. These acids eat away at teeth, causing cavities. In addition to causing decay, sugar may also result in tooth decay by wearing away tooth enamel. When enamel is worn away, the sensitive dentin underneath may be exposed. This can lead to tooth sensitivity and pain.

• Sticky foods

Sticky foods are known for their ability to cling to your teeth. They remain in your mouth and may be unable to be rinsed away or brushed away completely. This increases your risk of decay from food particles remaining on your teeth. 

• Acidic foods

Acidic foods can erode your tooth enamel. Foods like lemons, oranges, grapefruit, wine, and tomatoes are acidic. If you snack on acidic foods, rinse your mouth with water afterward. You may also want to brush your teeth after acidic meals.

• Dried Fruit

Dried fruit can contain added sugar, and too much added sugar in your diet can increase your risk of tooth decay. Also, dried fruit is sticky, and this sticky quality can cause plaque to stick to your teeth. Plaque buildup can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

• Starchy foods

Starchy foods include bread, crackers, pasta, and cereal. The starches in these foods can get stuck to your teeth, creating plaque buildup. Starchy foods also contain carbohydrates, which can break down into simple sugars. These carbs can latch onto your teeth and erode the enamel, making your teeth more susceptible to decay.

• Sauces, marinades, and condiments

Sauces, marinades, and condiments are a common staple in everyone's kitchen. Unfortunately, many of these salad dressings, marinades, and condiments contain high amounts of acid and sugars that can erode tooth enamel.

• Alcoholic beverages

Alcoholic beverages aren't just bad for your overall health. They also pose a threat to your oral health. The sugar and acid content in these beverages can contribute to the development of tooth decay. In addition, the alcohol in these beverages can dry out the mouth, increasing the risk for gum disease.

• Tobacco products

Cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff all contain harmful chemicals that can impact your teeth and gums. These products can cause lesions, gum recession, and even oral cancer. Smokeless tobacco often contains higher levels of carcinogens than cigarettes, so chewing tobacco is a particularly bad option.

Contact Everyone's Family Dental to receive the best dental treatments in Schofield, WI, by calling (715) 803-2535 or visiting us at 2809 Schofield Avenue Suite B, Schofield, WI 54476.