Everyone knows that having too much sugar can be bad for your teeth. However, there are many other foods that can be hard on your teeth. The dental team at West Ashley Family Dentistry wants patients to keep their teeth and gums healthy during this difficult time. You can call our office at (843) 371-5480 to reschedule your dental checkup.
Foods That Are Bad For Your Oral Health
- Sports drinks: Sports drinks have extremely high sugar and acid content, accelerating tooth decay. They are even more erosive than energy drinks and sodas, although both are more acidic.
- Ice: Many people chew ice as a habit. Because ice is so hard, chewing on it can easily chip or break your teeth. Stick to leaving it in your drink.
- Tomatoes: Tomatoes are considered a healthy vegetable that you’re normally encouraged to eat. However, there’s a lot more acid in tomatoes than you might be aware of. If you eat too many tomatoes on their own, the acid can affect your teeth.
- Pickles: Vinegar is what gives pickles the taste you love, but it’s also very acidic. When you eat pickles, try to drink water afterward. This can minimize the lingering acid.
- Breath mints and cough drops: While they aren’t candy, both of these are packed with sugar, which can cause tooth decay. If you’re struggling with a cough or want to freshen your breath, look for sugar-free versions. And make sure you don’t bite into them, as this can lead to broken teeth.
- Crackers and potato chips: While these aren’t usually acidic and don’t normally contain a lot of sugars, they do have many refined carbohydrates. These break down into sugars, even though they don’t indicate a lot of sugars on the label. Both of these foods tend to get stuck on your teeth, meaning those sugars are going to be stuck as well. Letting them sit on your teeth means bacteria are accumulating there and can lead to tooth decay. Brush your teeth or drink some water after you snack on these.
- Peanut butter and jelly: Especially if you put it on white bread, this popular sandwich is a feast of sugar. Not just that, both peanut butter and jelly are sticky foods that tend to linger in your teeth. White bread contains refined carbs that break down into sugars, similar to crackers and potato chips.
- Canned fruit: While fruits are normally good, try to stick to the fresh ones. In addition to the regular sugars that naturally occur in fruits, there’s also a bunch of added sugars in the canned variety. If they’re canned citrus fruits, they combine those sugars with high acid content.