10 bad foods for your teeth

Do you know that a person's eating patterns and food choices can contribute to tooth decay or even gum disease? Besides, your teeth can start to look yellow if you consume certain foods with added ingredients with high pigments.

Therefore, it is crucial to pay attention to what you eat and know the foods that can cause harm to your teeth. This will help to minimize the risks of developing oral complications.

Below are the top 10 foods that can negatively affect your oral health.

Sticky Foods 

Consuming sticky foods need your jaw and tongue to work harder to remove the contents from your teeth. If the food's left-overs are not removed from the mouth, it can lead to a buildup of bacteria. Therefore, it is critical to limit the intake of sticky foods and brush your teeth well if you consume sticky foods to avoid further oral problems. 

Carbonated Sugary Drinks 

It's no secret that the consumption of carbonated sugary drinks can be harmful to the health of your body and, particularly, your oral health. The high sugar content in them can lead to cavities in the future.

Citrus fruits

Frequent exposures to citrus or acidic foods can erode enamel, making teeth more prone to decay. If you have mouth sores, citric fruits and juices can irritate them. 

Coffee and Tea 

Both coffee and tea have strong staining properties that can affect the teeth's enamel.  Coffee and tea can also dry out your mouth.

Starchy foods

Food items like potato fries can harm your teeth as it is loaded with starch which tends to get trapped in your teeth. If you choose to have snacks like this, make sure to floss well to remove all the food particles that can lead to plaque buildup.

Alcoholic beverages

Alcohol beverages can cause dehydration and dry mouth. People who consume too much alcohol can have their saliva flow reduced over time, leading to tooth decay and other oral infections such as gum disease. Heavy consumption of alcohol also increases your risk of mouth cancer.

Ice

Chewing on a hard substance like ice can weaken your enamel and make you prone to chipped, cracked, or broken teeth or loosened crowns. 

Dried Fruits

Though dried fruits are a healthy snack, many of them are sticky and can get stuck in the teeth and their crevices, leaving behind lots of sugar. Also, because of too much sugar in them, it is a better choice to eat the fresh versions instead!

Chewable pills

Many chewable vitamin tablets have concentrated acids, which can harm teeth as they stick to them. Hence, they are bad for oral and dental health.

Pickles

Vinegar, which is important in the pickling process, contains acids. It can cause teeth staining and can wear away your teeth's enamel. Most pickled foods also have sugar, another contributor to cavities.

Take care of what you eat to take care of your teeth. Opt for good, healthy foods and refraining from the bad foods if you want to maintain a smile free from complications and dental issues.