Every Day Foods That Are Destroying Your Teeth (It’s Not Candy)

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You have probably heard that eating candy, hard candy, or chewing ice can ruin your teeth. You might have also heard that drinking coffee, red wine, or tea will cause ugly stains.

Well, while some of the above is true, there is probably nothing more damaging than some of the foods we eat regularly. Common foods that we don’t even think twice about eating or drinking.

Although most of us take our teeth for granted, we shouldn’t. Do you remember your last trip to the dentist? Do you remember swearing that you would take care of your teeth from now on? Finding out which foods are ruining your teeth would be a good start.

Wanna know if you are destroying your teeth without ever being aware of it? Keep reading and find out which 7 foods are the worst when it comes to your teeth.

1. Certain Snacks

Do you like popcorn or dried fruits as snacks? If so, you aren’t alone!

Although the sugars in dried fruits are completely natural, your teeth don’t know the difference. Your body will, but to your teeth, sugar is sugar whether it’s from dried fruit, a soda, or a piece of licorice.

Popcorn produces a very strong acid in the mouth, strong enough to damage your teeth. Even plain, air popped popcorn is very acidic.

Try to eat snacks that contain more water such as celery, watermelon, apples, and pears. The more water a fruit or vegetable has, the less sugar it contains, which means the less damage to your teeth.

By the way, after eating fruit or eating popcorn, don’t brush your teeth right away. This will simply rub the acid right into the enamel of your teeth. Rinse with clear water, and then wait about 30 minutes for your saliva, and the water, to greatly reduce the acid level in your mouth.

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2. Breakfast

Not everything you eat for breakfast is bad, but many of the grains that we eat, such as muesli and granola, have additives and coatings that can have as much as three tablespoons of sugar in each serving. Worse still is when people munch their cereal dry, without the benefit of milk. It’s almost like chewing on sugar cubes.

A better alternative would be eggs or even oatmeal, but if you love cereal or granola, be sure to eat it with milk. (Raw, organic milk is best.) The calcium and vitamin D in milk really help to lessen the impact of sugar on the teeth and strengthen them at the same time.

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3. Hot Drinks

As we mentioned in the beginning, hot tea and coffee go a long way towards staining your teeth when consumed in large quantities daily. Your teeth become more porous with age and will begin to absorb many of colors in these types of hot drinks. Your teeth can start to have dark or discolored spots on them, especially the teeth in front, or they could turn a dark shade of yellow.

Even regular consumption of these drinks can lead to bad breath, and the dehydration of the lips.

This doesn’t mean you have to give up your tea or coffee. To avoid dry, cracked lips and discolored teeth, rinse your mouth with water after you enjoy your favorite hot drink.

Diet Woman At Grocery Store With Junk Food

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4. Snacking All Day

If you enjoy eating like a cow, you know, grazing all day, rather than eating just three larger meals, you are doing some real damage to your teeth. Sipping on things like fruit juice or eating one cookie now, another 15 later, then a bite of chocolate, is slamming your teeth with acid every few minutes all day long. Your teeth aren’t really affected by a certain amount of acid, but rather, by the frequency of the acid attacks.

For example, the amount of damage to your teeth is the same if you eat one square of a chocolate bar or if you eat the entire chocolate bar. Your teeth are coated with acid just the same. As far as your teeth are concerned, you are better off eating three meals a day, brushing in-between, and not eating any snacks rather than eat a bite at a time, slamming your teeth with acid 6 or 8 times a day.

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5. Sandwiches

You might not think of a sandwich as being dangerous, but many pre-packaged sandwiches actually contain sugar. Food manufacturers add sugar to the bread to make the sandwich taste better. The sugar, combined with the processed carbohydrates, create acid and bacteria in the mouth, which will lead to cavities.

Avoid those pre-packaged sandwiches and opt for whole grain breads for your lunchtime sandwiches.

Fresh juice mix fruit, healthy drinks on wooden table.

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6. Fruit Juice and Fruit Smoothies

For those of you that love your high powdered juice, beware. Your teeth are paying the price! Although fruit is natural and healthy, it does contain natural sugars and acid. When you juice your fruit, the sugar and acids are even more concentrated!

This doesn’t mean that you should eliminate fruit from your diet, but adding either milk or soy milk to your morning smoothie will help to strengthen the teeth and prevent damage, or you can drink some milk afterwards. You could also rinse your mouth after you finish your fruit juice or smoothie to help lessen the amount of acid in your mouth.

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7. Eating Your Cheese First

In some places, cheese is served as an appetizer, but having a piece of cheese after eating your meal is a better choice. Eating cheese as a dessert will not only give your teeth a burst of calcium, but it will also generate saliva, which will help to dilute the acid and wash it away, minimizing damage.

Perhaps you don’t think of your teeth every minute of every day, but they actually do a lot for you. Taking just a few minutes each day to think about the foods you eat and how they affect your teeth can go a long way towards giving you a beautiful, white smile that will last a lifetime.

References:

Journals.cambridge.org

Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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