Snacks that Wreak Havoc on Your Teeth

At Town Center Dentistry, we fill a lot of cavities. It’s our job, yes, and we’re happy to do it. But the part of our job that gives us deep satisfaction is when, after a routine checkup, we get to tell our patients the one thing they’re all longing to hear:

“Excellent. No cavities!”

Are you longing to hear this from your dentist? The two best things you can do for yourself and your teeth are 1) Maintain a proper daily oral maintenance routine, and 2) Keep a tooth-healthy diet.

Not sure what constitutes a tooth-healthy diet? Start by eliminating these 10 foods, drinks, and snacks that wreak havoc on your teeth:

Hard candies are bad for your teeth

Not only do hard candies expose your teeth to sugar for long periods of time, but chewing on them also puts you at risk for broken or chipped teeth.

Sour candies increase risk of tooth decay

These guys are the worst candies of all for your teeth. They’re chewy, which makes them stick to your teeth, increasing your risk of tooth decay, but they also contain a ton of acids that erode enamel.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have high sugar content

This childhood treat seems healthy enough, but the bread, the peanut butter, and the jelly all have high sugar content. And on top of that, the stickiness allows the enamel-eroding bacteria to adhere to your teeth.

Soda eats away at tooth enamel

Carbonation, sugars, and acids all eat away at tooth enamel, and soda contains them all. It should come as no surprise that drinking soda is one of the leading causes of tooth decay.

Coffee allows plaque to build up

You probably know that coffee can stain your teeth. But the caffeine can also dry out your mouth and allow plaque to build up. Additionally, the sugar you add to sweeten your coffee feeds the harmful bacteria in your mouth, increasing the likelihood that you’ll develop cavities.

Alcohol erodes your teeth

The sugars and acids in alcoholic drinks erode your teeth. They also dry out your mouth and reduce your saliva production. These conditions lead to tooth decay.

Ice can chip or crack teeth

Although ice feels refreshing in your mouth, if you chew it, it can damage your tooth enamel and lead to emergencies like chipped, cracked, or broken teeth.

Citrus can wreak havoc on your teeth

The acids in oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and other citrus fruits can wreak havoc on your teeth, eating away at your enamel and making you vulnerable to tooth decay. Unfortunately, even a delicious glass of lemonade will do the same.

Potato chips builds up plaque

You may love the satisfying crunch of potato chips, but they contain a ton of starch, which turns into sugar and feeds the bacteria in plaque. And as that plaque builds up, your chances of developing cavities increase.

Dried fruits are harmful to teeth

Although your doctor may suggest dried fruits as a nutritious snack, your dentist will steer you away from them. They’re sticky and packed with sugar, and that combination is harmful to teeth, no matter how nutritious the snack.

At Town Center Dentistry in Rancho Bernardo, we want to send you home with a clean bill of oral health

Look, we know you’re going to drink a cup of coffee and eat some potato chips. We just want you to understand the effect that these foods and drinks have on your teeth. If you do eat one of the snacks on this list, the best thing you can do afterward is drink water. It will help wash the acids and sugars away from your teeth and restore your saliva production. Be sure to follow up with your regular oral health routine to remove any residue from on or around your teeth.

Looking for foods that improve your dental health? Click below: