Know the good, the bad, the ugly for your teeth
Prevention is the best medicine for your smile. Apart from maintaining dental hygiene, eating right is equally important. What we eat has a big impact on our teeth.
It is about time to know which foods are good, bad and ugly for your teeth.
The good for your teeth:
- Fiber rich fruits (Apple, guava, banana, pear, fig, and avocado): Next to good home dental care, fiber rich fruits are your best natural defense against cavities and gum disease.
- Dairy products: The calcium and phosphate in dairy products help put back minerals which your teeth might have lost due to other foods.
- Green and black teas: They contain anti-oxidants which help to kill bacteria, which in turn prevent the bacteria from growing or producing acid that attacks the teeth.
- Sugarless chewing gum: This is a great saliva maker that removes food particles from your mouth.
The bad for your teeth:
- Sticky candies and sweets: If you eat sweets and candies, go for those that clear out of your mouth quickly. That means thumbs down for lollipops, caramels, and cough drops that contain refined sugar.
- Starchy foods: Starchy foods can get stuck in your mouth and get trapped between your teeth. It is advisable to avoid such foods as these food particles don’t come out easily.
- Carbonated soft drinks: These drinks are loaded with sugar, phosphoric and citric acids that wear away tooth enamel.
- Fruit juices: Fruit juices are loaded with sugar and damage the tooth enamel and also lead to cavities. Avoid excessive consumption of fruit juices. When you drink them, make sure to sip with a straw and rinse your mouth with water once finished.
The ugly for your teeth:
- Sticky dried fruits: These can lead to tooth decay. Dry fruits have highly concentrated sugars, and it’s gummy like texture can cling to the teeth just like candy.
- Sports drinks and vitamin waters: They are acidic and full of sugar. These sports drinks contain as much sugar as in a candy bar. It leaves the teeth ugly and decayed.
- Citrus fruits: Avoid sucking on them or keeping them in your mouth for a long time. They are highly acidic and erode the enamel of your teeth.
- Chewing ice: Chewing ice isn’t a great idea, it is not meant to chew. It causes your teeth to chip and crack, which provides a new home for bacteria. This can be dangerous and painful for your teeth.
It is sometimes not possible to avoid the bad and the ugly foods, so make sure to rinse your mouth, brush your teeth thoroughly and floss them as well.
Watch what you eat, as your teeth are always watching that! Eat right, eat wise, and make your teeth happy.
‘Nourish your teeth, nourish your smile’– The Dental Spa.
