For Healthy Teeth, Avoid These Foods

We all want healthy teeth. And it’s no surprise the daily brushing and flossing can help you achieve this. But did you know that what you eat can also affect your pearly whites? In fact, certain foods and drinks can actually promote tooth decay by causing bacteria-filled plaque to build up on our teeth which can lead to cavities. Here’s a list of foods and drinks it’s best to avoid or limit for a healthy smile:

Citrus Fruits and Juices
It’s true that oranges, grapefruits and lemons are packed with vitamin C, but the citric acid contained in these foods can erode your tooth enamel and make your teeth vulnerable to tooth decay. The same is true for fruit juices, which also raises the acid level in your mouth that eats away tooth enamel. Consume citrus fruits and juices in moderation and rinse with water afterward, if possible.

Chewy & Hard Candies
Eating sugar and other carbs causes the plaque on your teeth to release acids, which then attack your tooth enamel and cause cavities. Avoid chewy candies, which stick to your teeth and enable bacteria to feed off the sugar. And be wary of hard candies, which slowly dissolve in your mouth and allow sugar to remain on your teeth for a longer period of time.

Soda
Drinks with carbonation are the worst offenders for promoting tooth decay. Soda encourages plaque to produce more acid to attack tooth enamel. Even sugar-free soda contains citric and phosphoric acid which breaks down tooth enamel.

Wine
Alcohol in general can do damage to your teeth because it dries out your mouth, ridding it of the saliva it needs to wash away food particles. And red and white wines are full of acid which can erode tooth enamel and stain your teeth.

Chips & Crackers
Crunchy snacks like crackers and potato chips are packed with starch, which transforms into sugar and gets trapped in between your teeth where it feeds the bacteria in the plaque. and crackers are loaded with refined carbohydrates, which can lead to inflammation in the body that can cause gingivitis and gum disease. When you indulge in these snacks, be sure to floss afterward to remove any lingering food particles.

For more information about eating your way to a healthier smile, contact Drs. Kraut, Rogoff, Newsome and Kakanantadilok. Our office is located in the Bronx, and can be reached at 888-700-6623. We look forward to meeting you!