Everyone knows that eating candies and sweets comes under bad habits for teeth. We also know that chewing on hard things such as pens or pencils is not good either as it can damage teeth enamel. However, there are several other food items that can ruin your teeth that you may not be paying attention to. To be sure, one should keep a check on what they are eating and go in for a hard-core tooth-cleaning routine twice in a day to be free of oral health problems. To give you an insight, here are five food items that harm the tooth health without any of us knowing its harmful effects on the oral health:
White wine
According to a recent study, drinking white wine can put people at risk of tooth staining. White wine contains tannins and acids that can make the surface of the teeth rough, making the enamel more porous, which allows the teeth to absorb colour. Therefore, if you drink coffee or eat something right soon after having white wine, you are more likely to have stained teeth.
Cough syrup
Many cough syrups contain sucrose, fructose and citric acids. These ingredients may cause tooth decay and erosion. People who take cough syrup right before going to bed or after they brush their teeth in the night are more likely to have tooth decay. It is recommended to always rinse your mouth with water after taking cough syrup.
Also Read: Avoid these 5 common habits that harm your dental health
Barbecue sauce
This thick and sweet sauce which you use to marinate chicken and other meat also marinates your teeth with sugar leading to tooth discolouration and decay if it stays in your mouth for long. You can either put a thin layer of petroleum jelly over your teeth in order to create a barrier between the sauce and enamel or if you do not want to put petroleum jelly on your teeth, rinse your pearly whites with water and after about half an hour, brush your teeth to remove any residue.
Citrus foods
The acid content of citrus foods can destroy teeth enamel, making teeth more vulnerable to decay. Citric fruits and juices can also irritate mouth sores. You should rinse your mouth with water after intake of citrus food.
Also Read: 5 Dental Secrets Only a Dentist can Tell You
Ice
Chewing ice is very harmful for you teeth. You should use ice to chill beverages, but do not chew it. Ice is hard and chewing on hard substances can leave your teeth vulnerable to a dental emergency and damage enamel.
Carbonated Drinks
Carbonated soda or soft drinks could damage to your teeth. Carbonated sodas enable plaque to produce more acid which attacks tooth enamel.
You should also avoid meal-time brushing:
Brushing your teeth twice a day is a good habit but brushing right after eating acidic foods like juice, fruits, red wine and soda isn’t a good idea as it can weaken the teeth enamel and may even lead to yellowing and cracks in the teeth. It is one most common brushing mistakes that we make. Instead of brushing immediately, rinse your mouth with water and wait for around 40 minutes for the calcium in your saliva to remineralize the teeth. You can then brush your teeth.
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