Eating For Dental Health
- Posted on: Jul 15 2018
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Though genetics play a part in our dental health, did you know that the foods you eat can help influence how healthy your teeth are? Our teeth help us chew and enjoy food, but the food we eat helps keep our teeth strong (or give them a little more work to do). It never hurts to learn about our health, and we love talking teeth, so keep reading to learn about some of the worst foods for your teeth.
Acidic Foods
Foods with a low pH, or very acidic foods, can be very damaging for teeth. Even though they can be delicious, citrus fruits, sports drinks, soda pop, and other highly acidic foods are well-known enamel damagers. Essentially, the acid in these foods (and others) can harm enamel and strip minerals from it, damaging it and leaving it exposed to cavities.
Acidic foods can also lead to tooth sensitivity over time, so consider ditching your soft drinks if you’re already experiencing sensitivity.
Drying Foods
By “drying foods,” we mean foods that specifically dry out your mouth, like alcohol, coffee, energy drinks, and even some medicines. Saliva naturally protects our teeth from deposits our food leaves behind, and helps prevent plaque from settling in. When our mouth dries up, that protection goes away too.
If you’re out and about, and realize your mouth is dry then don’t wait. Find some water to keep yourself hydrated through the summer heat (and protect your teeth while you’re at it).
Not convinced food makes that much of an impact on your teeth? It’s true: if you have really strong teeth, you might be able to get away with eating a little more sugar than someone with weaker teeth. Regardless, we believe that eating well can help keep your teeth healthier, even if your main goal was to eat for better heart health or to lose a little weight. Start making small changes in your diet today and see how it affects your dental health next time we see you!
Looking for more information about dental health? Schedule a consultation with us by calling (805) 584-1194 today!
Posted in: Dental Health
