Some people find it difficult to quit eating junk food completely – and this goes without saying. Some foods that we consume on a daily basis can cause enamel erosion that leads to increased teeth sensitivity to cold, hot, sour and sweet. If a person’s oral hygiene with proper brushing and flossing is not maintained dental enamel damage may result with teeth likely to develop a cavity..
Acidic Foods
Although lemons are healthy, using them as a home remedy for whitening teeth might not be the best move as they might be very harmful to the teeth. After eating lemons, tomatoes, oranges and grapefruit, the teeth should be rinsed with plain water thoroughly.
Long-Lasting, Sticky Sweets
Hard candies tend to stick and cling to the surfaces of your teeth. Hard candies can also take a long time to dissolve – making them harmful to the teeth too. Hard sweets can also crack a tooth when you bite into them. It isn’t about the amount of sugar that is damaging, but how often the intake is and, how long the sugars are left on or, in between teeth or in your saliva.
Starchy Foods
We tend to consume a lot of starchy junk food without even knowing their after effects. White bread, pizza, potato chips, burgers, and pasta can easily get lodged in-between the teeth and the crevices. Even though they are not sweet nor sugary, starchy foods can be converted into sugar almost immediately because of the digestive process that begins in our mouths. The sugar might cause our enamel to decalcify leading to tooth decay.
Sports Drinks and Sodas
Sugary drinks like sports drinks and other carbonated beverages are bad for the teeth especially if consumed regularly. Soft drinks are loaded with phosphoric and citric acids that erode the enamel of the teeth. These beverages are also the leading source of added sugar in both children and adolescent diets. Sipping on a sugary beverage for hours is harmful because the high sugar content in drinks is bad for both our teeth and body.
Dried Fruits
Munching on dried fruits instead of fresh ones might also be harmful for the teeth because of the concentrated sugar content and stickiness they possess. Examples of dried fruits are dried prunes, raisins and apricots. Parts of them easily adhere to teeth and the sugar in them promotes bacteria growth in the mouth, leading to the erosion of tooth enamel.
If you are seeing signs of damaged teeth as a result of eating too much junk foods, consult Dr. Lean. D. Lean and his team can handle all types of oral conditions. It’s best to take care of your teeth now rather than later.
