Food and Damaged TeethHard candies and suckersWe all know they contain sugar, but what we don’t know is that the constant “sugar bath” (constant exposure to sugar), can be extremely harmful to teeth. Sugar makes an acid in mouth and with the constant release of sugar, they are considered a high risk for causing cavities. They are also very hard and can break or crack teeth. Chew sugarless gum instead, look for a gum the ADA seal of approval. IceYes, ice can damage your teeth. Ice is hard and can break or crack teeth. Many dental emergencies are caused by ice chewing. Please kick the habit of ice chewing. Citric foodsCitrus although can be a healthy food contain citric acid. Acidic foods can cause enamel erosion. Adding lemon and lime juice to drinks can be very damaging to enamel. Acidic foods may also cause mouth sores. Always drink plenty of water to keep acid down in your mouth. Coffee/teaCoffee and tea without sugar may not be so bad. Adding sugar can make it a really bad choice of drink. Adding sugar can cause cavities. Most people do not realize how many teaspoons of sugar a day they add to their diet, just by drinking coffee with sugar. Please try to cut out sugar in your coffee. Coffee and tea drinkers tend to have dry mouth. Drink more water to help with this. Also, coffee and tea drinkers can stain teeth. The more you drink increases your chances for stained teeth. Starchy foodsStarchy foods such as chips, crackers and such can damage your teeth. These kinds of foods can get trapped in between teeth or on “tops” of your teeth. By not removing these foods by brushing and flossing can build up plaque, which can lead to tooth decay. Please brush, floss and drink plenty of water to wash away left-over particles. Sticky foodsRaisins, dried fruit, sticky candies can all lead to tooth decay. These types of foods are very damaging because they are sticky they “cling” to teeth and don’t let go. The longer food sticks on teeth the more damage they do. Please keep this in mind when eating and rinse with water, brush and floss to remove the sticky foods from teeth. Soda popWe have all heard this before, but soda is bad for your teeth. Most people sip on soda throughout the day. Particularly when you’re at work or on the road. This can cause your teeth to bathe in sugar, acid and caffeine. The constant sugar swishing will lead to decay in a short amount of time. You have sugar and then add the acid content of soda and this makes it an extremely bad choice. Most sodas have the acid content rivaling battery acid. Who would drink battery acid? That is pretty close to what you’re doing. Please choose water instead. Sports drinksWe have all seen commercials about how sports drinks help replenishes you after sports. What isn’t told is the sugar content in sports drinks. Please research this yourself. Some are worse than others. Find out the amount of sugar before you drink. Water is a good choice for replenishment without the added sugar content. Your teeth will thank you. AlcoholAlcohol causes dehydration and dries your mouth. Dry mouth can increase cavities. Once saliva flow is limited, decay chances increase. What also increases is the chance of gum disease and oral cancer.
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Young at Heart Dental and Braces with Vision Now! 317 W 3rd St., Suite 104 La Junta, CO 81050 Phone: 719-733-3303 |