Having an oral-health-friendly diet pertains to the idea of not consuming or avoiding too much sugar. Contrary to this belief, various food items pose an equal risk to your teeth as sugar. You might be consuming these foods without realising the harm they cause to your teeth. Thus, it becomes important to know about other food items that might be harming your teeth. Check how many of these you consume regularly.
Bread and Refined Starchy Foods
When you eat bread or other starchy foods, your saliva breaks down starch into sugar. The bread becomes paste-like and sticks to the teeth and other unreachable areas of the mouth. This promotes bacterial activity that leads to cavities. You can swap refined starchy foods with less-refined ones, like whole-wheat.
Carbonated Drinks
Carbonated drinks also pose harm to your teeth. They enable plaque build-up that increases the production of more acid, leading to the degradation of tooth enamel. Additionally, these drinks also dry your mouth, decreasing saliva production and its activity. Not only this but consuming these drinks can also stain or discolour your teeth.
Citrus Juices
Fruits like lemon, oranges, and grapefruit are good for health as they contain vitamin C, which helps in boosting the immune system. Along with these fruits also contain citric acid. This acid can erode the enamel, making teeth vulnerable to decay.
Also Read: Citrus Allergy: Symptoms, Foods to Avoid, and More
After you consume such fruits, the acidic action can be troublesome for your mouth sores. However, avoiding them at all is not an option, as they contain essential nutrients needed for the functioning of your body. Thus, have them in moderation and rinse your mouth after consuming them.
Excessive Sticky or Hard Foods
Foods that are extremely hard to break like candies can chip your teeth or pull out a filling. Once your teeth are chipped you become more prone to recurring pain and sensitivity. Swelling may appear around your teeth. Your teeth might ache while you chew or eat something.
Excessive sticky food like candies having caramel can stay in your mouth for a longer period, increasing the acid formation and leading to tooth erosion.
Pickles
Vinegar is added in the process of making pickles. It is due to this acid that you get that tangy flavour and aftertaste. But this acid is corrosive and erodes your teeth enamel. Pickles may also contain sugars in high amounts that can lead to cavities in your teeth. Even apple cider vinegar, which many drinks for its various purported health benefits, can affect the enamel of your teeth adversely.
Dried Fruits
Dry fruits like raisins, dried apricots, prunes, fish, or fruit roll-ups may cause teeth damage. They are sticky and easily cling to your teeth and in the crevices, leaving behind sugar. Due to drying, the sugar content in these fruits gets concentrated posing more risk.
Also Read: Are Dried Dates Good? Know Nutrition, Pros and Cons
Alcoholic Beverages
Drinking alcohol causes drying of your mouth. This raises your mouth's acidity, increasing cravings for highly palatable and processed foods. This changes the bacterial activity that poses a risk to your teeth. Studies show that consuming high quantities of alcohol not only stains your teeth but also increases the risk of oral cancer.
Image Credit: freepik
