Diet & Dental Health: Which Foods to Avoid?
Your teeth and gums are affected by all of the meals and drinks you consume. While certain meals and drinks support strong teeth and healthy gums, others can cause erosion, tooth decay, and the formation of oral diseases.
This article discusses the foods and drinks that might harm your teeth.
Soda, diet soda, and sweetened beverages
Various harmful effects on health are caused by consuming sugary drinks including soda, sweetened coffee, and energy drinks. They promote obesity, insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, and other problems.
It should thus come as no surprise that sugary beverages are bad for your teeth and gums. These drinks harm your teeth in two negative ways: They are acidic, which feeds germs that cause cavities. Streptococcus mutants and other bacteria that promote cavities feed on sugar to create acids that demineralize or destroy tooth enamel.
Also, experts advise avoiding cleaning your teeth shortly after consuming acidic beverages like soda as this could harm your enamel.
Frequently consuming sodas like cola, sports drinks, and other acidic drinks can harm your teeth in ways that are not easy to repair.
Moreover, studies have shown that the use of sweetened drinks is related to tooth decay, or cavities, in young people, which is a major risk factor for tooth loss.
It’s better to avoid or limit sugary, acidic beverages as much as you can.
Candy, table sugar, and other added sugar sources
Sugar, as already said, feeds the bad bacteria in your mouth, which results in the formation of acids that destroy tooth enamel. Because of this, daily added sugar intake is considered to be the main risk factor for cavities.
Remember that research has not shown that natural sugars included in meals like fruits and dairy products contribute to tooth decay. This is because natural sugar sources provide protective layers like fibre and minerals and encourage saliva production in the mouth, all of which work to keep teeth and gums healthy.
However, additional sugars like high fructose corn syrup and table sugar can greatly damage dental health by increasing the growth of cavities.
Several studies have shown a significantly increased risk of cavities and gum disease in kids and adults who consume diets rich in added sugar.
One of the worst things you can do for your teeth is to chew candies like lollipops, caramels, and sweetened lozenges. This habit increases the duration of time that sugar is in contact with your teeth, which is a major contributor to the formation of cavities.
Eating a lot of added sugar can also damage your gums because it increases oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which can harm gum tissue. Sugar, therefore, feeds the bacteria in the mouth that produce acid, which causes tooth erosion. Also, sugar can harm gum tissue and increase the risk of developing gum disease.
Sugary cereals and baked sweets
Many individuals begin their days with a bowl of sweet cereal or a doughnut coated with frosting.
Due to their deficiency in protein and other essential nutrients, these meal selections will not only make you feel hungry for about an hour, but they are also heavy in added sugar and processed carbohydrates, which are bad for your teeth.
Each serving of some cereals and sweet baked products has several tablespoons of added sugar, which can cause gum disease and tooth erosion.
Breakfast cereals that are ready to eat and sweets made from grains are some of the main sources of added sugar for kids and teenagers aged 6 to 19 years. If you usually choose breakfast foods with a lot of added sugar, such as sweetened cereals or pastries, consider switching to a more wholesome, low-sugar option. Here are a few suggestions:
- A bowl of unflavored oats with fruit and nuts on top
- A veggies omelette with avocado and multigrain bread
A diet high in added sugar can lead to poor oral health. Added sugar intake is considered the major risk factor for cavities, so it’s best to limit your intake of sugary foods.
White bread and starchy refined foods
Poor dental health may be worsened by starchy meals like potato chips and refined carbohydrates like white bread and rice.
Similar to how oral bacteria quickly digest additional sugar, the sugars in carbohydrate sources like white bread and chips cause acid that erodes enamel.
A higher risk of cavities results from eating a lot of these foods. Moreover, studies have shown a link between eating processed foods high in carbohydrates during meals and a higher risk of cavities. Some studies showed that starchy meals may increase sugar’s cavity-causing effects. Because starches are sticky, sugar sticks to the teeth for a longer period, creating an acidic environment in the mouth.
Your dental health may be enhanced by replacing more nutrition carb sources, such as whole fruits, sweet potatoes, and whole grains, instead of processed starchy meals, such as white bread and potato chips.
Eating starchy snacks like potato chips and refined carbohydrates may make you more likely to have cavities. Avoiding certain foods may help to keep your teeth healthy.
Fruit pops and fruit juice
Even while 100% fruit juice is packed with vital nutrients, excessive consumption might be bad for your teeth.
Fruit juices can damage dental enamel because they contain acids. More acidic juices like grape, orange, apple, and lemon juice are good examples of this. Apple and orange juices were five times more harmful than soft beverages, according to 2016 research. Fruit pops that contain acidic fruit juices and additional sugar can also harm teeth.
A 2019 research found that, when compared to chilled and room-temperature juices, ice pops made with grape, pineapple, and orange juice caused the most reduction in salivary pH. Therefore, ice pops were more harmful to teeth than liquid drinks because they were more acidic.
For the best dental health, it is recommended to avoid eating frozen fruit pops because they are thought to be quite damaging to teeth.
Consuming acidic fruit drinks or sucking on fruit-flavoured ice cream might cause erosion and raise your chance of getting cavities. Ice pop exposes the teeth to acid, which is why specialists believe they are quite bad for dental health.
Alcoholic beverages
Alcoholic beverages are bad for your teeth, especially those with added sugar and acidic ingredients.
Alcohol use is regarded as a significant risk factor for oral cancer because it affects the mouth’s lining’s sensitivity, making it more vulnerable to chemicals that could cause cancer.
According to studies, drinking more alcohol raises your chance of developing laryngeal, pharyngeal, and oral cancers.
Alcohol may also change the balance of oral bacteria, increase salivary acidity, boost appetites for processed foods, and create dry mouth, all of which can harm teeth.
According to studies, those who struggle with alcohol use disorders are more likely to get cavities, gum disease, and gum lesions. Also, those who struggle with alcoholism may be less likely to visit the dentist regularly, which might result in tooth problems.
If you choose to drink, do it carefully and avoid beverages with added sugar or very acidic substances.
Thus, too much alcohol use can lead to dry mouth, increased mouth acidity, increased appetite for appealing processed foods, and changed oral bacterial balance, all of which can be harmful to oral health.
Too many sticky or hard foods
Some foods may make it more likely for a tooth to chip or for a filling to fall out. For example, eating hard foods like hard pretzels or hard sweets might result in tooth chips.
Chewing ice is a behaviour that could worsen damaged teeth.
Also, chewy candies with a sticky coating, such as caramel and taffy, can stick to teeth and increase the risk of pulling out dental fillings. Chewy sweets can also increase the risk of tooth erosion.
While chewing on sticky foods may result in the removal of dental fillings, crunching on hard meals may result in cracked or damaged teeth.
The overview
Your general health as well as the condition of your teeth and gums can be affected by the meals you pick and how frequently you consume them. Too many sugar-filled sodas, fruit drinks with added sugar, or unhealthy foods may put you at risk for dental disease.
Any food that contains sugar can increase the risk of developing tooth decay. Read the nutrition data and ingredient labels on foods and beverages to find which ones have the least sugar in them. This will help you limit the amount of sugar you consume.
Soft drinks, candies, cookies, and pastries are common diet sugar sources. Your mouth’s tissues may struggle to fight against infection if your diet is lacking in certain nutrients. This might worsen gum disease. Adult tooth loss is primarily caused by severe gum disease. Many experts think that those with poor nutrition suffer a faster rate of illness progress and maybe more severe symptoms.
Consider these suggestions when selecting your meals and snacks to maintain good oral health.
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You can also book a free consultation with Healthmug’s expertise for your dental follow-ups or any health concern.
