Bad Foods for Good Smiles

Left unchecked, your dental health can deteriorate before you realize it’s happening. Gum disease, tooth decay and cracked or broken teeth are all common symptoms of neglect. These symptoms are only compounded by the foods you eat or the beverages you drink. These foods are bad for anyone hoping to keep their beautiful smile, so you should avoid some or all of these foods.

Coffee, Red Wine and Tea

Coffee or tea, especially when it’s sweetened, heightens the levels of acid in your mouth. This weakens the enamel of your teeth, and stains them over time. As most people sip these drinks, the liquid tends to stick around for longer, which keeps the acid in your mouth for longer too. These are also drinks we tend to consume habitually. Your morning coffee isn’t doing your bright smile any favors.

Try to cut back on these liquids wherever possible (red wine is probably the easiest to cut for most people). Use a whitening tooth paste to help revitalize your smile daily, and brush thoroughly for at least two minutes each session.

Sugary Drinks

Your mouth is full of bacteria that consumes and breaks down the sugars contained in sodas and high-sugar juices. Left alone for long enough, and the acids will eat through the enamel of your tooth. Carbonated beverages are even worse offenders, because the carbonation actually adds to the acid content in your mouth.

If you are a heavy soda drinker, the best thing you can do is try to supplement some of that soda with water. Parents should also be conscious of the sugary content in drinks, especially juice boxes. Even natural sugars can erode teeth over time.

Starchy Foods

Foods that are rich in starch, like potatoes and rice, also raise acid levels in the mouth. The more refined the starch content in the food you eat, the worse off for your mouth. The trick is to consume starch raw if you can, like vegetables.

Candy and Sweet Snacks

Candy presents two separate issues for oral health. For one, the sugar content erodes enamel. Candy also presents problems with chewing, especially hard candy. Bite too hard and you can crack your teeth. Sticky candy also adheres to teeth and makes it hard for saliva to break down the compounds.

Avoid these sweets where possible. Natural sugars aren’t much better either, so don’t try to supplement with a lot of fruit instead. Follow a balanced diet, and brush your teeth twice a day.

–

By: Dr. Sid Solomon is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentists. Sid Solomon has been practicing cosmetic dentistry for the past twenty years. Read Dr Sid Solomon reviews online at his website, Sid Solomon DDS.