10 Foods that are Bad for Your Teeth

You may already know that having too much sugar can be bad for your teeth. Things like sugary sodas and candies are snacks our parents always tell us to stay away from. However, there are many other foods that can be hard on your teeth. Dr. Jose Gil, a dentist in Allentown, PA, offers ten foods that you should watch out for if you want to keep your teeth healthy.dentist in allentown, pa

1. Sports Drinks

If you think sports drinks are healthy, you’re actually mistaken. They have an extremely high sugar and acid content, accelerating tooth decay. A study has shown that sports drinks are even more erosive than energy drinks and sodas, even though both are more acidic.

2. Ice

Ice is water, so it can’t really be bad for you, can it? Unfortunately, it can. Chewing ice is a habit a lot of people have. With the hardness of ice, chewing on it can easily chip or break your teeth. Stick to leaving it in your drink.

3. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are considered a healthy vegetable that you’re normally encouraged to eat. However, there’s a lot more acid in tomatoes than you might be aware of. Especially if you have sensitive teeth, try to eat tomatoes when they’re included as part of a meal. If you eat too many on their own, the acid can affect your teeth.

4. Pickles

Again, pickles are very acidic. Vinegar is what gives pickles the taste you love, but it’s also very acidic. When you eat pickles, try to drink water afterward. This can minimize the acid that’s lingering.

5. Breath Mints and Cough Drops

While they aren’t candy, and one is considered to be a helpful health tool for a cold, both of these are packed with sugar. This provides the same effect as hard candy. They linger in your mouth for a while, letting the sugar settle. If you’re struggling with a cough or want to freshen your breath, look for sugar-free versions. And make sure you don’t bite into them, as this can lead to broken teeth.

6. Crackers and Potato Chips

While these aren’t usually acidic and don’t normally contain a lot of sugars, they do have many refined carbohydrates. These break down into sugars, even though they don’t indicate a lot of sugars on the label.

Both of these foods tend to get stuck on, around, and in your teeth, meaning those sugars are going to be stuck as well. Letting them sit on your teeth means bacteria are accumulating there and can lead to tooth decay. Brush your teeth or at least drink some water after you snack on these.

7. A Peanut Butter and Jelly

Especially if you put it on white bread, this popular sandwich is a feast of sugar. Not just that, both peanut butter and jelly are sticky foods that tend to linger in your teeth. White bread contains refined carbs that break down into sugars, similar to crackers and potato chips. None of these things are a good idea for your teeth.

8. Highly Pigmented Foods

This covers a wide range of foods and drinks. While some of them are healthy things that are good for the rest of your body, they can lead to stained and discolored teeth. Things like beets, berries, red wine, coffee, and tea can all have this impact on your teeth. Just be careful to rinse your mouth after you eat these foods, and not to eat them too often.

9. Dried Fruit

Fruit can usually be a healthy snack choice. However, you should try to snack on fresh fruits over dried. Dried fruit is sticky and is loaded with natural sugars. The texture and the amount of sugar in dried fruit make it as bad for your teeth of eating chewy candy.

10. Canned Fruit (Particularly Citrus)

Again, while fruits are normally good, try to stick to the fresh ones. In addition to the regular sugars that naturally occur in fruits, there’s also a bunch of added sugars in the canned variety. If they’re canned citrus fruits, they combine those sugars with high acid content. Acid and sugar mixed are a deadly cocktail for your teeth.

Treatment From Your Dentist in Allentown, Pennsylvania

In addition to avoiding too much of these troublesome foods, remember to keep up a regular oral health schedule. This includes visiting Hamilton Dental Designs every six months for regular checkups and cleanings. Call us today or schedule an appointment online!