Can Your Diet Affect Your Teeth? Here’s All You Need To Know!

The food you eat affects your teeth and gums in many ways. Consuming food and drinks with low nutrition and high sugar content can lead to tooth decay. Before consuming any food or drink, you should always read the nutrition facts and ingredients on the back and choose options with the lowest calorie count of sugar.

Here are some healthy eating habits that can reduce the damaging effects of certain foods and drinks on your teeth:

Avoid Sweet and Sticky Foods

Sugar acts as a magnet for bacteria. Improper brushing leaves remnants of sugar on your teeth, stimulating bacteria to secrete acid. The acid damages your enamel, causing cavities. This in turn leads to tooth decay.

High contents of sugar are not only present in candies, cakes and cookies, but in certain foods and drinks we regularly consume as well. These items include energy drinks, cereal, spaghetti sauce, canned foods, flavored yogurt, etc. So before eating or drinking anything, be sure to check its sugar content. If the Glycemic Index value is greater than 60, avoid it.

Sticky food should also be avoided. Food items like raisins, honey, and starchy food like potato chips and bread get stuck on the surface of your teeth, leading to cavities.

Stay Away from Acidic food

Acidic food and drinks, with a PH value of less than 5.5, are harmful to the teeth. They gradually dissolve the tooth enamel, causing cavities.

Though oranges and tomatoes are good for health, they can affect your teeth. They are acidic and can damage your teeth’s enamel.

Some foods with pH value of less than 5.5 include pickles, citrus fruits, red wine, cola and vinegar.

Increase Water and Calcium Intake

Water and calcium are your teeth’s best friends. Water helps maintain healthy teeth and gums. It helps wash away food and acid from your mouth, keeping bacteria away.

It also prevents staining of teeth. Drinks with a colored pigment called chromogen stick to the enamel causing the tooth to stain. So whenever you have a drink high in chromogen, such as red wine, coffee, cola, tea etc., drink a glass of water to wash it down.

Along with water, calcium is also needed for healthy teeth and gums. On average, you should be consuming at least 1000 to 1300 milligrams of calcium per day. Some foods that are high in calcium include milk, dairy products, beans, leafy greens and almonds. So make sure to include them in your diet or via supplements.

Healthy diets and regularly visiting a dentist is vital to maintain healthy oral health. We at Advance Dental Center provide all the care your teeth need. Whether you require a fluoride treatment, dental cleaning, denture care or any other treatment, we’ve got you covered. Call us at (301) 353-8890 to book an appointment with our family dentists in Germantown, MD.

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