Foods to Avoid

It is 2020 and many of us around the country are stuck at home due to local stay at home laws.  We are not eating more food than ever as an average American citizen and it is likely we are eating lots of the wrong foods for our dental health. There are lots of reasons people are picking up more unhealthy foods and one of those reasons is lack of options.  Lots of our grocery stores are missing lots of essential foods and basic staples in our diets.  So I am not saying do not eat or drink these foods or beverages because there may be no other options currently available.  But if you are able to avoid these foods you should try too for the sake of your teeth.

One of the most known and still probably the worst thing you can ingest that is commonly on your grocery store shelves is carbonated beverages. Generally it's well known that soda, or pop and anything with the label diet is going to be bad for your dental hygiene.  It has been reported that drinking carbonated beverages is just as bad for your teeth as methamphetamines and cocaine. That is indeed rather wild to think about.  Many of us have seen the before and after photos of what those federally banned drugs can do to your teeth and it is very hard to look at and to see. 

Plaque is the big issue when it comes to carbonated beverages. The excess sugar and acids builds extra plaque and allows for it to attack your tooth enamel.  This creates cavities which are a very painful and expensive problem to fix for your teeth.  Another side effect of sodas and pops is that they dry out your mouth causing less saliva to be present.  Saliva actually helps clean your teeth and eliminate those acids from building up.  So by getting rid of your saliva you are hitting your teeth with a double whammy of unhealthy.

Another type of food you should try to avoid is going to be a surprising dietary staple.  Eating citrus and lots of fruits are actually rather bad for your dental health. Your average orange or clementine is going to be on that list.  Lots of dietary staples for breakfast like grapefruit is also going to be a poor choice for dental health.  This is because they are loaded with acids. What this does is erode your enamel quicker which leads to tooth decay.  So when you are out of quarantine you may be visiting your dentist sooner than you had hoped. So stay safe and eat healthy if you can!

Foods for healthy teeth

Most everyone knows that brushing your teeth regularly and flossing is a great way to boost dental hygiene and get rid of sugars and food particles that cause bacteria to form plaque.  Plaque actually creates acid that builds up and is the reasons we get damage to our tooth enamel. This in tern then causes cavities, and sets the preverbal stage for the dreaded gum disease.  So what are some extra steps we can take to help our mouth take care of itself.  There are lots of good foods that research has suggested can help aid us in this task.

One great way to help keep your mouth healthy is to drink tea.  Teas especially black and green teas are loaded with polyphenols which can help slow the growth of bacteria.  This in term helps slow the creation of cavities and gum disease.  So taking the time to boil some water and drop in a bag of tea can be more than just a yummy treat.  It can actually help your health.  Now days it is much easier then boiling water on the kettle.  There are electric kettles that can boil water in seconds not minutes and get your right on the healthy path super fast!  It is shown that rinsing your mouth with black tea for I minutes 10 times a day had less plaque buildup on their teeth then people who just rinsed with water. This was according to the University of Illinois.  It also reduced the plaque that they already had and made it easier to brush off.  So drinking a cup of tea can be a very big boost to your dental health.

Another food that can help your dental health is rather surprising.  Its cheese! A study done by General Dentistry journal found that teenagers who eat cheddar cheese ended up with less acid levels in their mouth than those who ate yogurt or drank milk.  After the test each teen would rinse their mouths with water and then measured at different intervals.  The cheese was found to lower acid and neutralize plaque acid.  So the next time you are at the grocery store, yes practice social distancing but also pick up a brick or a package of cheddar cheese.  Chewing a little bit of this can really help bring those acid levels down and keep you from visiting the dentists nearly as much.  So stay safe, eat healthy foods and keep your dental hygiene up!

Beverages and Dental Hygiene

There is always something we could be doing better.  Many times our health is actually effected more by daily habits and routines than anything.  I know that in the long run, my diet can have a much greater effect on my health than small things I try to add in once and a while.  One of those areas that really effects your dental health is your diet.  When if comes to your teeth one thing that can have dramatic effects of the long run and short run is what you drink.  Our teeth are amazing, but they can be drastically harmed by what we lather over them day in and day out.  So watching what you drink can be the difference between multiple surgeries in the dentist's office or simply getting a cleaning. 

 

One thing we need to think about is how much water we are drinking.  Water is a great way to stay hydrated.  It helps our own body function naturally and since we are mostly made of it, we definitely need it.  It is suggested that we all drink about 8 glasses of water a day.  This keeps our body well hydrated and it also helps your teeth as well.  Drinking water helps to wash away food particles and things that stick to your teeth.  Those things can cause plaque to build up and eventually tarter will form.  This can be a really bad thing because it starts to erode your teeth.   When this happens not only does it cause lots of pain, but lots of expensive dental work will need to be done to fix it.  The drinking of water is a great way to combat this.  It can help your body produce more saliva and that also helps to wash away the food and particles that are in your mouth causing harm. 

 

So one way to drink more water is to keep a glass, water bottle, or mug nearby.  I like to use a stainless steel container because it is so lightweight.  I am able to fill it and drink out of it without it being a hassle.  Sometimes a heavy glass keeps me from drinking more and when I want to consume more water a lighter option is best for me.

 

There is definitely a few drinks that should be avoided as much as possible.  The idea of drinking an extremely high in sugar drink daily for the rest of your life can be scary.  The sugar helps break down your teeth and can cause lots of damage.  If you are drinking one or in many cases up to several liters of soda a day it is catastrophic for your dental health.  These drinks are not only high in sugar but also very acidic.  It erodes the protections your toothpaste puts on your teeth and then allows the sugar to start eroding your teeth faster.  It is really important to try to limit your sugary beverage intake.  The extra wear on your teeth simply will cause more problems and will be very expensive in the long run.

 

If you are able to drink less of the highly acidic and sugary beverages then you can help extend the life of your teeth.  This means a better smile for longer.  It can also mean fewer trips to the dentist that are emergency based.  This will cost you less money in the long run and help lower the pain you will feel over your lifetime.  So stay safe and drink well!