Foods That Do the Most Damage to Your Teeth

It seems weird that food and drinks can damage your teeth, but depending on the food, it can do a lot of harm beyond basic wear and tear. Being careful with your teeth means paying attention to the food you eat and making choices for the benefit of your teeth. Here are a few different foods that can cause damage to your set of pearly whites.

Crunchy Foods

Crunchy foods are incredibly delicious, but they can cause serious problems for your teeth. If you crunch on food that is particularly hard it can actually cause you to chip or break a tooth, especially if it is already weakened. Crunchy foods, like potato chips, are full of starch that begins to break down into a sugary paste in your mouth. That paste can coat your teeth and get stuck in the spaces between teeth making for a great spot for bacteria to grow and cause bigger problems for your teeth. You don’t have to avoid crunchy foods all together, just think about what you are eating and make sure to brush your teeth if you eat a lot of starch.

Sugary and Sour Candy

Both sugary and sour candy can be really hard on your teeth for a variety of reasons. Sugar is a great food for bacteria, and if it remains in your mouth, the natural bacteria population can grow and cause problems. Sour candies have acid in them that can break down the enamel of your teeth and make it easier for you to get a cavity. Hard candy can chip your tooth, which can require a filling to fix.

Carbonation

It may be surprising, but carbonated drinks contain acid that can be especially rough on your teeth. Many people know about the problems with sugary soda on their teeth, but even flavored carbonated water can have a negative impact on the health of your teeth. Basically the acid in carbonation can cause damage to the enamel in your teeth, which despite being one of the strongest things in the body, is fairly sensitive to acid. Carbonated drinks that contain sugar are even worse for your teeth, but any carbonation can cause damage, even without sugar content. 

Taking care of your teeth is important to your smile and to your overall health. Understanding the foods that can hurt your teeth will help you to make better choices for your smile and keep your oral health in great shape for the future. If you do choose to indulge in these foods, follow up with good dental hygiene to protect your teeth.

Supplements can be a source of nutrients if you don’t get enough in your diet. Check out this article to find out which ones can help strengthen your teeth and bones.