It is important to take care of your teeth in-between visits to a dentist in Bedford. Here are 10 foods you should be careful around.
Taking care of your teeth takes more than regular brushing and flossing.
It is also important to be conscious of the foods you eat and how they affect your teeth. Research shows that the average American will
lose 12 teeth by the age of 50. This is mostly due to cavities, periodontal disease, and tooth decay.
While that number is scary, there are ways that you can help preserve the health of your teeth. Avoiding certain foods can help keep your teeth healthy and strong. Additionally, a great dentist in Bedford can give you the professional care your teeth need.
Keep reading to learn about 10 foods that are bad for your teeth and where you can find the best NH dentist.
1. Alcoholic Beverages
Alcohol is one of the most common culprits that cause issues with your teeth. Alcohol is full of sugar and acidic ingredients, both of which can seriously damage your teeth.
Drinking alcohol can give you a dry mouth, increase acid exposure to the teeth and gums, and damage the permeability of your mouth lining.
Not only is the alcohol itself bad for your teeth, but drinking can also lead to behaviors that cause damage to the teeth. After drinking alcohol, you are more likely to crave sugary and processed foods.
Those with alcohol use disorder are also at risk of developing gum disease and cavities because of the high exposure to acidic ingredients.
2. White Bread and Refined Carbs
Refined carbohydrates, including white bread, crackers, french fries, cereals, and pastries are full of sugars that are bad for your teeth.
These are known as simple carbs which break down into sugar and cause bacteria to form in the mouth. This creates lactic acid which causes tooth enamel to erode. Certain carbs like white bread are soft and doughy making it easy to stick to your teeth and giving the bacteria more time to produce acid.
Eating starchy foods is also one of the leading causes of
periodontitis, a gum disease that can lead to tooth loss.
3. Dried Fruits
You might be surprised to know that fruits like dried raisins and apricots are damaging to your teeth.
They contain a high amount of concentrated sugar due to the drying process. Their chewy texture also makes them stick to your teeth and causes bacteria to damage your teeth.
4. Carbonated Drinks
As a child in science class, you may remember a popular experiment where you and your classmates left a tooth inside a glass of soda and waited to see what happens. The tooth was damaged within days.
Carbonated drinks, even ones that are sugar-free, contain acid. They can cause cavities and enamel erosion.
After drinking soda or carbonated drinks, avoid brushing your teeth immediately after to avoid speaking the acid around your teeth and gums.
If your teeth have decayed due to acid and sugar exposure, you may consider a
root canal procedure from a Bedford, NH Dentist.
5. Pickles
Vinegar is a highly acidic ingredient that is required to make pickles. This acid can damage your enamel and lead to decay.
This includes not only pickles but items that have been fermented in vinegar like relish and chutney. It is important to drink lots of water after eating these foods.
6. Almonds and Peanuts
Almonds, peanuts, and other nuts can damage your teeth because of their dense texture. They can cause microcracks, damaging the exterior of the tooth.
Eating cold nuts can lead to fractures and splintering in the teeth. Be sure to eat nuts at room temperature and chew them carefully.
7. Chilled Baby Carrots
Taking a bite into a chilled baby carrot might seem like a healthy snack option but it can also cause you to break or chip a tooth.
If your teeth are weak or you have existing dental problems, take caution when eating hard foods such as carrots.
Be sure to contact a
dentist in the 03110 area if you've broken a tooth and need dental assistance.
8. Popcorn
While popcorn can be a healthy alternative to potato chips, it can cause damage to your teeth.
The feeling of getting popcorn stuck in your teeth is not only annoying but it allows popcorn to stay in your mouth for a longer period of time, giving bacteria the time to do its damage.
Additionally, hard kernels can crack or chip your teeth. If you grab a handful of popcorn, be sure that you don't accidentally bite down on an unpopped kernel.
Be sure to drink lots of water and keep floss with you if you are going to eat popcorn.
9. Citrus Fruit
Citrus fruit is one of the more obvious foods that damage your teeth.
Fruits like lemons and grapefruit not only have high levels of acidity, but they also have high sugar content. The pH level in grapefruit can cause corrosion on the surface of the teeth which can lead to a build-up of plaque. In large amounts, this can cause cavities.
However, these fruits are also full of nutrients and vitamins so you don't want to avoid them completely. If you do eat citrus fruit, be sure to clean your teeth shortly after. For
thorough teeth cleaning, be sure to visit a dentist in Bedford, NH.
10. Pasta Sauce
It might come as a surprise to you that tomato sauce is highly acidic. That includes pizza, pasta, and tomato-based soups.
While pasta sauce does have vitamins, the high levels of acidity can cause the enamel on your teeth to erode. Not only does the acid cause damage to your teeth, but the carbohydrates in the pasta feed the bacteria that can cause cavities.
Learn About Bad Foods for Your Teeth From Your Dentist in Bedford
If you want a beautiful and healthy smile, you have to invest in proper dental hygiene. This includes limiting and avoiding certain foods that cause damage to your teeth. For optimal dental health, limit your intake of carbonated drinks, alcoholic beverages, refined carbs, pasta sauce, nuts, pickles, and citrus fruits.
Your trusted dentist in Bedford will attest that these 10 foods are bad for your teeth.
If you're wondering, where can I find a dentist near me? Visit our website and
make an appointment with a dentist in 03110 today!
