It’s no surprise that just like your body, your diet has a direct role in your dental care. What you eat or drink affects your teeth in such a way that it directly influences the health of your teeth and gums.
Before we mention the top 10 worst foods and drinks for your teeth, we’ll explain how these foods affect your teeth. Two of the most common things that damage your teeth are sugar (obviously) and acid. Any food or drink item that has both will cause severe damage to your teeth. Teeth are the strongest substance in the body, even stronger than bones that support the entire body. But they are susceptible to sugars and acids, as these are the two things bacteria need to grow. The main villain in your oral health story is ‘plaque’ the sticky yellow layer that builds around the teeth and gums. And it’s the happiest when your diet is rich in sugar and acids.
1. Sodas
These are the worst! We cannot stress the amount of damage these drinks cause to our teeth. They are rich in sugar and acid. The sugar content leads to cavities and the acid in them causes erosion of the tooth structure.
2. Energy drinks
Just like sodas, these drinks are high in sugar and acid. In some energy drinks, the acid content is even higher. The acid physically erodes the tooth structure. It makes the enamel, outer white part thin, and this leads to tooth sensitivity as well as cavities. The thinning of the enamel is also important as it can make front teeth susceptible to fractures.
3. Chai/Coffee
Along with a high acidic and sugar content, tea and coffee have pigments which lead to teeth staining. The staining associated with tea and coffee has a long-term effect on the aesthetics of your teeth. They make teeth look yellow and brown and overtime this color becomes permanent.
4. Alcohol
Alcohol plays a very important role in damaging your oral health. It causes the mouth to dehydrate. How? It decreases the flow of saliva and dries up the mouth. Mouth dryness is directly linked to tooth decay and gum disease, along with causing a foul smell in the mouth.
5. Fruit Juices
Although not as bad as the ones mentioned above, fruit juices are also high in the two teeth-damaging substances. 100% juices are a better alternative to the packaged ones, try to look for ones with less acid and sugar content.
All of these drinks damage your teeth. The best thing to do is try to avoid them as much as you can. But if you are addicted or drink them occasionally, make sure to rinse your mouth immediately after to remove the effects of the drinks from your teeth.
1. Sticky/Chewy/Hard Candies and Chocolates
Basically, all types of candies are bad for your teeth. It’s that simple. They are a nuisance that have no nutritional value but directly affect teeth. Sticky and chewy candies remain in the crevices of our teeth, giving rise to cavities. Hard candies tend to fracture teeth along with causing cavities.
2. Citrus Fruits
Citrus foods are healthy. But if taken in high quantity or after every little interval, they increase the acid levels in the mouth and that will continue the damaging process.
3. Biscuits
This is something that people don’t consider harmful. In fact, certain studies deem biscuits as dangerous as candies because they are high in sugar, tend to stick to teeth, and remain there for longer time periods.
4. Potato Chips
Potato chips are high in carbohydrates, which is the final breakdown product of all sugars as well. They are also extremely high in oil and are hence sticky. These factors make them a bad choice as a snack, and unhealthy for your body and teeth.
5. Dry Fruits
This will come as a surprise to many as dry fruits are considered a healthy snack. But the problem with dry fruits is that they are usually very sticky and full of natural sugars. Both of these things lead to cavities. They also cause the oral cavity to become dry and hence cause tooth decay and gum disease. They sometimes are so hard that they tend to cause teeth fracture.
Numerous other things have a damaging effect on your teeth and gums. But the list mentioned above is a short one that highlights the things we eat on a daily basis and have a tendency to damage teeth and gums. These things tend to shorten the life of your teeth and gums as well. A little care and avoidance of these foods will go a long way in keeping you, your mouth, and your body healthy.