Diet is an important part of keeping your body healthy. But do you know how much your diet can impact your oral health? Westside Dental Center’s Dr. Uttma Dham, an experienced dentist in Plantation, FL, discusses the foods you should avoid eating to keep your smile healthy.
1. Dried Fruit
Fruit is something recommended to reach for when you want a sweet, healthy snack. However, you should probably stick to fresh fruits instead of dried. Crunchy fresh fruits like apples can actually help your oral health. They require a lot of chewing and have a fibrous texture, helping with saliva production and getting rid of leftover food particles.
Dried fruit, however, is extremely sticky and concentrated with sugar. It’s very easy to get stuck between your teeth or in the crevices on top of your molars. Especially if you can’t brush your teeth immediately after consumption, this is a recipe for dental cavities.
2. Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits can be beneficial for your health in a lot of ways. They just aren’t beneficial for your teeth. Citrus is highly acidic and wears away the protective enamel on your teeth. This makes them more vulnerable to bacteria and tooth decay. Even lemon in your water can contribute to this. If you have citrus, make sure you have plain water to drink after.
3. Hard Candy
You may think that sticky candy is the ultimate culprit. But hard candy isn’t a good alternative. While they don’t cling to your teeth, they take a long time to dissolve in your mouth. This gives bacteria in your mouth more time to feed off of the sugar and produce acid to harm your teeth. While hard candy is dissolving, it completely saturates your mouth as well.
Hard candy can be harmful in other ways, too. If you bite down on it, it can chip, crack, or break your teeth. You may need to see your Plantation, Florida dentist for dental bonding or dental crowns to repair the damage done by one wrong bite on a piece of hard candy.
4. Sports Drinks
If you’re looking for an alternative to sodas, you may think that sports drinks are a good option. These are often filled with sugars, just like the sodas you’re trying to give up. They’re also acidic, meaning that they contribute even further to enamel erosion on your teeth, in addition to the cavity-causing sugar content. Stick to water when you’re working out and your teeth will thank you.
5. Crackers
Crackers aren’t a sugary snack, so you think they’re safe, right? Not so much. Crackers are refined carbohydrates, which break down into sugars as you eat them. It happens extremely quickly, meaning they’re releasing sugar while you’re chewing. Crackers also turn into a paste, getting stuck in molars and between teeth. Make sure you either brush and floss or rinse with water if you’re snacking on crackers.
Treatment at Your Dentist in Plantation, Florida
One of the most important things you can do for your oral health is to make sure you’re visiting Dr. Dham for your regular checkups and cleanings. She can help make sure your oral health stays on track. Call us today or schedule an appointment online!