Does it really matter which beverage, breakfast cereal, and snack you pick from the grocery shelves? As far as your oral hygiene is concerned, it makes a huge difference. The drinks and foods you opt for each consist of different ingredients, such as acids, sugars, vitamins, and minerals, with each of them having different nutritional values and results on your mouth and teeth. In some of them, the nutritional value is considerably low and the ability to create issues with your oral hygiene is high. So the next time you are reaching for a soda, you might want to think twice. It can mean avoiding a serious cavity, no matter what your oral hygiene habits are.
The issue with some drinks and foods is the things they are made out of. Carbohydrates are broken down inside the mouth and become sugars, and we all know that sugar is quite detrimental for the teeth. It can work as an acid, slowly harming the enamel on your teeth. It also damages the structure of your teeth. Overtime, it leads to tooth decay and cavities which may be hard to stop. Any sort of acid which comes in contact with the mouth has high risks of harming one’s oral health.
So what are the drinks and foods you should be avoiding at all costs? You should consider starting with the following:
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Carbonated beverages, such as soft drinks are definitely hazardous that can put one’s oral health in danger. They consist of the least amount of nutritional value, and are considerably high in phosphoric acid and sugar, due to which they can start attacking your teeth inside 30 minutes.
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Sport drinks or other such beverages labeled as healthy can be poor choices as well. Most of them promise benefits to your health, but they also consist of sugary and acidic substances which ultimately cause the breakdown of enamel on the teeth. Also be careful with chewable vitamins in case they consist of sugar.
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Sticky foods, such as sweet breads, caramel candy, and other such sweet carbohydrates can be quite unhealthy for the teeth. The sugars they contain are difficult to wash away through saliva. They resultantly stay on the teeth longer and cause damage.
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Foods which dry the mouth, such as alcoholic beverages, can lead to bacterial development in your mouth. Saliva is important for flushing away all bacteria.
Some other foods you should not consume so often include dried fruits as well as starchy foods, including fries and bread, potato chips, and fruits that are highly acidic such as lemons and oranges. If you are consuming them then remember to brush your teeth immediately afterwards, or simply rinse your mouth using water.