Acidity In Food Harms Teeth

Maintaining your beautiful new smile after your braces come off requires some diligence on your part. While you no longer need to worry about damaging or breaking your braces by avoid certain foods like hard, chewy and sticky foods, you still need to make sure you are protecting your smile by doing things like brushing several times and day and flossing at least once. Dr. Smith and his staff would like to share some information with our patients past and present along with their families about the importance of avoiding certain foods and drinks that can do harm to your teeth.

Regular brushing and flossing is just one way to protect your healthy smile. Another way is watching what you eat and that means more than just limiting the amount of sweets you consume. Many people don't realize it but even foods considered healthy can wreak havoc on teeth. Acidic foods in particular can be very detrimental to the health of your teeth. This is because acid corrodes teeth and especially when the pH of the mouth is low as this is when certain bacteria flourish, causing the enamel on the teeth to break down. Here is a list of foods and drinks you should limit the consumption of, as they are especially harmful to your teeth.

Balsamic Vinegar - Balsamic vinegar is not only highly acidic but it also stains teeth. If you do use this type of dressing, try to use it on salads containing an abundance of lettuce as lettuce has a natural ability to help protect teeth against corrosion.

Berries - While berries are loaded with vitamins good for your health, some berries like blueberries, cherries and raspberries can stain your teeth. If you do indulge, just be sure to rinse your mouth out with water afterward and brush if you can.

Citrus - Even though citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes are healthy, too much citrus can erode the enamel on teeth to raise your risk of getting tooth decay. Like with berries, after eating citrus fruit, rinse your mouth with water and brush if possible.

Coffee - While everyone knows that coffee provides a much-needed boost of energy due to its caffeine content, many people don't realize that coffee contains tannic acid which is what gives the beverage it's dark color. This acid works its way into the pits and grooves of tooth enamel to increase the risk of tooth decay. Coffee also stains the teeth so it's best to rinse out your mouth with water after enjoying a cup of coffee. And, if you add sugar to your coffee, you are putting your teeth at more risk for developing tooth decay so try to cut back on the sugar or better yet, eliminate it all together.

Dried Fruits - Because dried fruits are sticky, they stay on the teeth longer, leading to the weakening of enamel. If you enjoy snacking on dried fruits, brush & floss afterward or at least rinse out your mouth with water after eating.