There are certain foods we know are bad for our teeth. That sticky candy, the sugary soda and sweet drinks feed cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth and stomach that, in turn, effect teeth and gum health. Here are nine examples of foods and drinks that you should try to brush your teeth after eating to ward off decay and disease.
9 Everyday Foods That Can Cause Big Problems In Your Mouth
Table Of Contents
-
What you drink affects how white your teeth are and stay after a bleaching treatment.
-
Sugars, carbs and syrups make white bread the sticky, gooey paste on teeth.
-
Gummy bears, Starburst, Skittles, all these types of candies keep sugar in your mouth for a long time.
-
Sticky dried fruits keep your teeth exposed to sugars for a long time.
-
Hard kernels, thin, sharp husks and starches can damage teeth.
-
Red Sauce not only is staining but may have lots of added sugars.
-
Starches turn into sticky bits that expose the teeth and gums to sugar.
-
Carbonated sodas have lots of sugar and acid that can hurt teeth.
-
Alcohol has sugars but is also dehydrating.
What Foods Are Bad For Your Teeth?
Coffee, Tea, Red Wine Will Stain Your Teeth.
Coffee is a morning staple for many people. Its staining abilities are well known. Anything that can stain your clothes can stain your teeth! Do you know what makes coffee stain teeth? The acid in the coffee opens the tiny pores in the tough enamel coating of teeth. This leaves them more prone to take up the yellow/brown- tannins in the coffee. Tannins are also in wine and tea. Syrupy coffee drinks are loaded with sugars that feed the cavity-forming bacteria. It only takes one cup of coffee a day to cause stained teeth. These can all be decreased by rinsing your mouth out and brushing your teeth after drinking your coffee drink.
White Bread sticks to your teeth and can cause cavities.
White bread makes a delicious sandwich but always ends up getting stuck around teeth and gums. The simple carbohydrates and starches that make up white bread begin getting digested in the mouth with the saliva enzyme called salivary amylase. This gives white bread a sweet taste when eaten but also creates a sticky sweet paste that covers the teeth. The starches break down into sugars that mouth bacteria feed on leading to bad breath, cavities, and gum disease. Some bread even has high fructose corn syrup added as sweeteners increasing the bacteria surge. Brushing your teeth after a meal with white bread, flossing, or even chewing sugar-free gum for a few minutes after a meal will increase saliva flow and help lift the sticky starches off the teeth and gums.
Sticky Candy sticks to your teeth.
Sticky candies and taffy-type candy can subdue a sugar craving but coat the teeth in slow-dissolving sugar residue. The high sugar concentration in saliva coating the teeth can lead to cavities and bad breath by supplying mouth bacteria with a food source for an extended period. The pH in the mouth becomes acidic with sticky candy and further weakens the enamel protection of teeth. Candy and treats that rinse away quickly such as chocolate are an alternative to long-lasting sticky candy.
Dry Fruits can cause cavities.
Dry fruits have concentrated sugars and can create a sticky goo that coats teeth and subjects them to prolonged sugar exposure. Even healthy foods can be harmful to teeth. Raisins, dates, and such are loaded with healthy sugars that can rot teeth the same as corn syrup can. Flossing and brushing after eating dried fruit will help get the sugary bits out from in between your teeth and help the teeth start to harden again.
Popcorn can break your tooth.
While popcorn is easy and fun to make and eat, there are several reasons why you will want to brush your teeth after eating it. Popcorn husks can easily slip in between the gums and teeth creating inflammation and pain. Sometimes popcorn shells can be jammed so deep in the gums, that they need to be taken out by the dentist.
Popcorn is also a simple carb and will stick in hard-to-reach places in and around teeth. A quick trip to the restroom to floss and brush will help loosen the husks and bits of popcorn stuck in your teeth.
Marinara Sauce can stain your teeth.
Red sauces made from tomatoes can be in pizza or pasta. Tomatoes are acidic and rich in sugars. The acid opens up the pores of the enamel making the tooth more prone to staining. The sugars can lead to cavities over time.
Starchy foods stick to teeth causing cavities.
Pretzels, crackers, and potato chips are examples of foods with highly processed starches that break down into sugars in saliva. As with white bread, that sticky paste formed from these foods sticks to teeth and dissolves sugars onto the mouth over a long period if not removed by brushing. The result of snacking on snacks with simple carbs can be an increase in cavities, acidic saliva, and bad breath.
Carbonated Soda have sugars and acid that will hurt your teeth.
Soda is bad for your teeth on many levels. First, the amount of sugar dissolved into a can of regular soda is remarkable. Sipped over time, the bacteria surge can grow sticky plaque on teeth that can lead to cavities. Most carbonated soda has several types of acids that soften and weaken enamel. Acid from the carbonated water, carbonic acid, and citric acid for flavoring are a few of these added acids. Diet sodas have even more acid added than regular soda. That soft feeling on your teeth while drinking a soda is your tooth enamel decalcifying. It can take several minutes or more to reverse the decalcification process from soda. In the case of soda, rinsing your mouth out with water or chewing sugar-free gum will increase saliva flow into the mouth, neutralizing the acid and starting the hardening process for enamel.
Alcohol, cocktails and beer can dry out your mouth and cause cavities and gum disease.
Alcoholic drinks are dehydrating. A dry mouth is less able to buffer acidic activity and rinse away sugary residue. Also, beer and cocktails can have added carbs and sugars. Be sure to drink water while enjoying alcoholic beverages not only to help rinse away the sugars from the alcoholic beverages but also to keep your body and mouth hydrated.