Want healthier teeth? Avoid these five things
Are you suffering from cavities, gum disease, teeth sensitivity or chipped teeth? Then, you need to pay special attention to what you eat. Your diet may contain acidic foods or you may be biting on hard or super sugary substances that damage your enamel. Apart from brushing your teeth, using mouthwash, and flossing regularly, here are some foods that you need to avoid:
CANDIES
Hard candies are loaded with sugar which can lead to plaque formation, and since they are hard, they can also cause broken or chipped teeth if you bite into them (the same can happen if you bite into ice as well). Sour candies are even worse than regular ones because they contain acids that are tougher on the teeth.
CITRUS FRUITS
Oranges and lemons are good sources of vitamin C but can erode your enamel and make your teeth susceptible to decay.
CARBONATED DRINKS
Drinking large quantities of carbonated soda can enable plaque to produce more acid which can attack tooth enamel. It also dries up your mouth so that you create less saliva, and can also stain your teeth.
COFFEE
Coffee with sugar can cause cavities, especially since coffee also dries up your mouth. Another side effect of this beverage is teeth staining.
BREAD
Chewing on bread breaks down starch into sugar which creates a paste-like substance that sticks to your teeth and gets in between the crevices which can lead to cavities. Wholewheat is a better option for you as it contains less added sugars.
CHIPS
The starch in chips becomes sugar that can get trapped between teeth and cause plaque.
ALCOHOL
Alcohol is harmful for your teeth as it’s dehydrating in nature. With less saliva flow, there may be tooth decay or oral infections such as gum disease.