THE 7 WORST FOODS THAT DAMAGE YOUR TEETH

We’re all guilty of eating foods that are known to damage our teeth. Well, damage may be a little over dramatic – what we mean is they can cause changes to your teeth. These changes are due to either neglect in dental hygiene, or because of the food choices we make. They include cosmetic changes, such as discolorations in the white enamel of our teeth, as well as more serious symptoms like tooth decay.

Below are some of the worst foods to cause accelerated decay to your enamel and teeth.

CITRUS

Citrus is a natural acid found in many fruits. This acid can be detrimental to your dental health in the long run, slowly eroding the enamel and weakening the surface. You can combat this by eating foods with citrus right after certain meals to neutralize the acid with other food particles.

CHEWY CANDY

Chewy candy like gumdrops, taffies and similar candies are just as bad as dried fruits – perhaps even worse, since they don’t contain vitamins at all, just sugar. If you have a sweet tooth, opt for chocolate or a fresh fruit instead.

CRUNCHY CHIPS

Chips here applies to all potato chips, and other similar chips. Not only are they bad for your waistline, they are also bad for your oral health since they are mostly full of starches and will feed the bacteria that live on your gums and teeth.

ICE

Chewing on ice may seem harmless since ice is made of frozen water. However, the hard external surface of ice, combined with its very cold temperature, can cause irreversible damage to your enamel such as chips and cracks, and could even knock loose any crowns you may have.

COFFEE, TEA, RED WINE

All of these drinks have the potential to stain your teeth because they contain an ingredient that causes color to stick to the teeth, called Tannins. This is perhaps one of the biggest causes of teeth staining, due to the amount of people who drink coffee or tea as part of their morning and evening routine. The staining caused by these drinks will require a visit to the dentist for a whitening treatment if the discoloration gets severe.

SODA

Sugary, carbonated-drinks such as soda and fruit juices, all leave a film of acid on the surface of your teeth once they dry out. Dark colored sodas such as root beer and coke have the same staining power as coffee, but even worse because they are acidic and sugary, causing accelerated staining if not cleaned properly.

ALCOHOL

Last, but not least, one of the most notorious drinks that can damage your teeth is none other than alcohol. Just like wine, alcohol has similar staining properties that can gradually degrade your enamels, gums and overall oral hygiene. And certain beers are also carbonated just like soda, meaning they can accelerate the degeneration of your enamels if chronically used without attention to your dental hygiene.

Despite knowing which foods and beverages are most damaging to your teeth, we know that these are not always avoidable – especially in social situations at the bar, or perhaps your morning cup of coffee. This list serves as a guide, and hopefully a reminder that what you consume can cause potential damage to your teeth and gums in the long run.

We’d like to conclude this list by emphasizing the importance of good dental hygiene and habits. Since the foods and beverages on this list are always present, you can still maintain your teeth by sticking to good dental habits.

Have you checked your dental health in the past 6 months? If you haven’t, contact us at Rejuvie Dental Clinic in Bali to set up an appointment!