When it comes to our oral health, sometimes brushing and flossing just doesn’t seem to be enough to keep our teeth in good shape. In fact, what we eat throughout a day can have a drastic effect on the health of our teeth and gums. From chewy sweets that stick to each one, to crunching foods that risk chipping and breakage, eating the wrong foods could lead us to search for a London dental implant clinic. Here, we’ve compiled a guide to the foods you need to avoid in order to maintain healthy teeth and gums.
Chewy Sweets
If there was ever a culprit for causing tooth decay, chewy sweets would be it. Full of sugars and acids, they can break down the enamel of your teeth and with the sticky and chewy nature, they are difficult to brush and wash away. If you’re craving chewy sweets, make sure you have a toothbrush and floss on hand in order to brush sooner rather than later.
Carbonated Drinks
Carbonated drinks possess ingredients that help plaque produce more and more acid, which ultimately attacks the tooth. Add on the fact that these drinks can stain your teeth and dry out your mouth and it’s understandable just why we are so often warned away from fizzy, sugary drinks.
Alcohol
On a similar strain to fizzy drinks, alcohol can dry out your mouth and reduce the production of saliva. Without adequate saliva production, food will stick to teeth and can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Saliva washes away food particles between brushing but with alcohol, this is reduced which can even put you at risk of oral infections.
Starchy Foods
Starchy foods are notorious for getting stuck between your teeth. You may not think of it as such, but bread chews down into a sort of paste which not only sticks on the area of your teeth but in-between them. Drinking plenty of water to wash this away, chewing sugar-free gum and brushing your teeth regularly can help to reduce the effects of this.
Ice
While not everyone chews ice, those of us that enjoy a crunch could actually be putting our teeth at risk. While it might just be water, the action of crunching on ice can damage the enamel and ultimately lead to broken teeth, loosened crowns or chips and cracks through your teeth.
Citrus
You may be thinking ‘How can fruit be harmful to my teeth?’ The answer, unfortunately, is very. While they may be rich with Vitamin C, the acid content can play a huge part in the erosion of our teeth. To be able to eat citrus fruits with a limited threat to your teeth, make sure you only eat citrus fruits on occasion, and alongside other foods at mealtimes. Again, a sugar-free gum could help to neutralise the acid content.
Crisps And Other Crunchy Foods
On the same strain as ice, crisps and other crunchy foods post a risk to our teeth as it can damage the enamel. What’s more, particles of the food are more prone to getting lodged and stuck between the teeth, so it’s important to make sure that you floss properly and brush your teeth after having a meal with crunchy foods.
If you struggle with your oral health, changing up the foods that you eat could be the answer to keeping them strong and intact. Avoid the foods on this list or take care when eating them, and you could be on track to a healthy, strong mouth.
