Here at Rocky Ridge Dental, we believe that a healthy smile starts with a healthy diet.
We have written before about why a healthy diet is important for maintaining the best oral health and hygiene, and today we are going to take a closer look at some specific foods that could be doing your teeth more harm than you realize.
Some of the foods on this list today might be surprising!
Sugary Foods
Let’s start with the most obvious food group.
By now, we all know that sugary foods are bad for your teeth.
This is because the bacteria in your mouth feed on the sugar that’s left on your teeth. The acid they produce as a result of that is what causes tooth decay.
So the more sugary foods you consume in your diet, the more opportunities there are for sugar to be left behind on the surface of your teeth and in your mouth where it can act as food and fuel for the bacteria that naturally occur there.
Cutting back on the amount of sugar you consume will have a direct impact on your longer-term dental health – as well as your general health.
Some foods that are commonly high in sugar content include:
- Soft / fizzy drinks
- Chocolate, sweets, and candy
- Sports drinks
- Alcohol, especially cocktails
Citrus Foods
Citrusy foods and fruits can also be a challenge to your dental health.
The citric acid that makes our favourite citrus fruits so tasty is a strong enough acid that it can, over time, gradually erode your enamel.
Tooth enamel is one of the hardest substances in the body, and it coats the outside surface of all of your teeth, acting as a barrier and protecting the inner tooth from bacteria.
Your tooth enamel does an amazing job of protecting your teeth, so it’s important that in turn, you protect it too.
Despite being one of the hardest substances in the body, enamel is still susceptible to damage, and if you regularly drink or eat a lot of citrus fruits, foods, or juices you run the risk of eroding your enamel and exposing the more sensitive area of the tooth underneath to harmful bacteria.
Some common citrus foods to be aware of here include:
- Oranges / orange juice
- Grapefruits
- Lemons
- Limes
Staining Foods
Besides decay, the food you consume can also have other effects on your teeth and your overall oral hygiene.
Some foods and drinks can also contribute to staining and discoloration of the teeth over time.
This is usually more applicable to drinks than food, and most of the common stain causing drinks are plant-based drinks which contain tannins.
Tannins are a natural part of almost all plants.
When humans consume these tannins via our favourite drinks, some of those tannins make their way onto the surface of our teeth where they can be absorbed into the enamel and cause staining and discoloration to occur.
Some common drinks that can cause staining include:
- Coffee
- Tea
- Wine
If you have noticed some discoloration in your teeth, our laser teeth whitening can help to quickly and effectively restore natural whiteness to your teeth. Call us today at 604-986-9161 to make an appointment.
