Healthy eating is an essential aspect of maintaining good oral health. Some foods can actually put you at an elevated risk for teeth and gum problems like cavities and gingivitis. As oral health is heavily linked to your overall health, it’s important to avoid foods and drinks that could compromise your health. Here is a list of several foods and beverages that are really bad for your teeth and gums:
1. Excessive Citrus Drinks
Citrus drinks like orange juice and lime juice are known to have various benefits. Indeed, citrus juice is packed with vitamin C that your body needs on a daily basis. However, excessive exposure of teeth to citrusy drinks can be quite terrible for the enamel in your teeth. Citrus is acidic. And acids make enamel in teeth erode, which is what causes cavities. If you have mouth sores, the citrus acid would inflame those as well. Therefore, be careful how much citrus drinks or foods you consume a day. While you don’t need to avoid citrus, you do need to avoid excessive consumption of it. After eating citrus or other acidic foods, rinse your mouth with plain water and drink plenty of water as well.
2. Too Much Tea or Coffee
Most of us cannot live without several cups of tea or coffee a day. The caffeine in these beverages may keep you going, but it can also take a toll on your teeth. Consuming tea or coffee multiple times a day can put your teeth at risk of staining, ruining your bright white smile. These beverages also cause the mouth to dry, which can make problems like cavities worse, says Dr. Carl Metz. Therefore, keep your tea and coffee consumption to a minimum. Also, make sure you don’t add too much sugar or other extras to the beverages.
3. Hard Candy
Hard candy is amazing to munch on, but this particular type of candy is truly terrible for your teeth. Hard candy is kept in the mouth for prolonged periods, exposing your teeth and gums to an unhealthy amount of sugar. Also, biting down on hard candy puts your teeth atrisk of chipping and breaking. If you love hard candy, avoid consuming it on a regular basis. A better highly recommended alternative is sugarless gum.
4. Chewing on Ice
How can ice, which is made of water,after all, be bad for your teeth? If you are in the habit of chewing ice, keep in mind that you are putting your teeth at risk of damage. Your teeth enamel can get damaged when you keep chewing on ice. Just drink ice water.
5. Sticky Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are often hailed as a healthy alternative to candy. And those dried raisinsand figs are healthier options when compared to candy bars. However, if the dried fruit you are eating is sticky, they can stick to your teeth and stay in your mouth longer. As dried fruits do contain some sugar, this could put your oral health at risk. Therefore, once you’ve had some trail mix, make sure to rinse your mouth with plain water. Don’t forget to brush later.
As a general rule, avoid foods that contain too much sugar and be wary of hard, crunchy foods. The point is not to avoid eating these foods but to keep dental hygiene in mind when you do.
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