These foods are bad for your teeth

Did you know that apart from sugary foods and sweets, there are foods that can be quite detrimental to the condition of our teeth? Here are four of them:

Foods that dry your mouth.
Saliva acts as the mouth’s detergent after meals to wash away any food particles, acids and plaque so as to prevent tooth decay and enamel erosion. So when its content is reduced in the mouth, the risk of tooth decay and enamel erosion becomes much higher. Foods that dry your mouth include coffee, alcohol and most energy drinks.

Acidic foods
Whether contained in healthy or unhealthy foods, the effect of acid on the tooth’s enamel is quite bad. Acid erodes the enamel, leading to a myriad of problems, including sensitivity, discoloured teeth and tooth decay. Such foods include citrus fruits, coffee, tomatoes and alcohol. One can, however, mix up these foods with low acidic foods like vegetables, avocados and nuts to balance out the amount of acid

Sticky foods
Any food that sticks to your teeth after chewing increases the harm that food and sugar acids do to teeth. They tend to stay in your mouth for a long time, thus providing nourishment for the bacteria that cause tooth decay. These bacteria end up producing more acid than usual, causing harm to the teeth. Such foods include bread, chewy candy and also dried fruits. Dried fruits can be a healthy snack but they are also a big culprit in encouraging tooth decay. One should therefore rinse their mouth with plenty of water after eating these foods and try to floss often.

Hard foods
Chewing on hard foods like ice cubes, hard candy and un-popped popcorn can damage the enamel and even lead to loss of teeth