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Eating habits play a major role in the health of your mouth. A well-balanced diet is essential for good oral health. However, some foods can cause tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth loss. Listed below are some of the worst foods for your oral health.

Sugary Foods

The added sugars in soda pop and other beverages can lead to tooth decay. However, other foods and drinks also have a high sugar content. These include fruit juices, syrups and sauces, sweet tea, bagels, donuts, cereal, candy, ice cream, granola bars, and dried fruits. High levels of added sugar can cause cavities as well as cause dry mouth by consuming large amounts of moisture that your body needs to produce saliva. A dry mouth leads to bad breath and decreased ability to eat due to discomfort caused by a dry mouth.

Hard Candy

Hard candies have the worst effect on teeth because, in addition to being high in sugar content, they can also fracture or chip your teeth. Biting into hard candy will quickly expose dentin which can quickly lead to tooth decay. Sugarless hard candies are no better for dental hygiene because they will also cause tooth erosion as acids within these types of candies will wear away enamel over time. Dental experts generally recommend avoiding all hard candies.

In addition to their high sugar content and potential to damage teeth, many popular types of hard candy are also sticky. The stickiness of hard candy can cause it to temporarily adhere to the surfaces of teeth, which can lead to increased opportunities for tooth decay to occur.

Soft Drinks

The beverages we’re going to mention below can cause a lot of problems for your teeth over time. They contain high amounts of acids and sugar that wear down your enamel and cause tooth decay. They can also stain your teeth! Because they contain so much sugar, it’s hard for your body to get rid of them, so they sit in your mouth and feed harmful bacteria. These bacteria then produce acid that wears away at your tooth enamel and causes cavities. To avoid these problems, drink plenty of water and try to avoid the drinks below.

Coffee & Tea

Whenever you have coffee or tea, your teeth are at risk of damage. The dark color of the beverages can stain your enamel, especially if it’s consumed often. And if you don’t brush away those stains right away, they will stay on your teeth longer, making them more difficult to remove. Over time, this can lead to permanent staining that can’t be removed with professional whitening treatment.

Wine

Drinking wine can cause tooth discoloration. The tannins in wine that give it its dark color can interact with the enamel of your teeth, leaving stains. White wine can also stain your teeth. It is high in acid content, and the acid can damage your enamel. This can cause tooth decay. An occasional glass of wine probably won’t do too much harm to a healthy mouth; however, drinking several glasses a day could cause damage. Limiting your alcohol intake can help protect your dental health.

Sports Drinks

What goes into a sports drink? Sugary drinks are digested quickly, which spikes the blood sugar level. This can cause cavities and decay. Additionally, these drinks contain acids that wear away at the enamel of teeth. Enamel is the protective outer layer of the tooth. Once the enamel wears away, bacteria can attack the inner layers of the tooth and cause cavities.

In addition to being highly acidic, sports drinks can contain dark pigments like caramel coloring, which can be absorbed by the teeth and stain over time if consumed regularly.

Citrus Fruits & Juices

While citrus fruits are healthy and packed with antioxidants, they are also very acidic and can erode tooth enamel. Eating these fruits or drinking their juice can cause damage faster than other foods. 

To learn more or to schedule your appointments with Ami Desai, D.D.S., please call (408) 946-0777 or visit our office at 440 E Calaveras Blvd, Milpitas, CA 95035. For more information, please contact us at frontdeskdrdesai@gmail.com.