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Preventative care is one of the best ways to keep your mouth healthy and your smile great. While we hate to tell you to cut out all the delicious or fun foods and drinks, there are definitely some things to avoid. Instead of just making a list of the top 10 foods to avoid, we’ve made some common categories that are scientifically proven to cause dental problems. These foods aren’t just bad for your smile, they are all associated with gaining weight and health problems. Read on for tips from Irvine Dentist Neda Khodai on foods to avoid for healthier teeth.
Stay Away From Hard Foods
Ice, pretzels, and hard candy are all common culprits of dental problems. Sometimes they can lead to chipped teeth, and frequent consumers can develop jaw problems. Dental repair work such as fillings can also become lose or damaged from chewing overly hard food.
Avoid High/Low Temperatures
Food and drinks that are too hot or too cold can damage your teeth, and sometimes even lead to cracks. The worst scenario is rapid changes in temperature, such as eating ice cream while drinking coffee. The sudden changes in temperature can lead to stress fractures in your teeth, breaking the protective barrier of enamel and exposing your teeth to harmful bacteria. Dental fillings are designed for longevity and durability, but are still vulnerable to extreme temperature swings.
No Soda (Even Diet!)
Soda is so harmful for your teeth that we have an entire article dedicated to avoiding it. The high acid content and high sugar are a disaster for your mouth, and common soda consumption dissolves your enamel over time. Sports and energy drinks aren’t any better, with some energy drinks containing more sugar than the size of a smartphone!
Stay Away From Sugar
For reasons like soda, any overly sugary food should be avoided. Sugar provides fuel for harmful bacteria in your mouth, and this bacteria damage your teeth. If the problem becomes bad enough, cavities are sure to follow. Your teeth aren’t the only thing at risk. Frequent consumption of foods high in sugar will cause you to gain weight, have less energy, and have health problems.
Sticky Foods
Taffy, caramel, and ice cream are some of the stickiest foods around, and also the highest in sugar. Sticky foods will (obviously) stick to your teeth, giving harmful bacteria more time to use them as fuel to reproduce and damage your enamel. Drinking water and regular brushing helps to combat sticky foods, but the best defense is skipping them all-together.
Contact Us!
Irvine Dentist Dr. Neda Khodai is ready to talk nutrition, or to just help with a regularly scheduled cleaning. Call us at 949-553-1111 or click below to get in touch with Barranca Dental Excellence in Irvine, Orange County California. Se Habla Español!
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