8 Surprising Foods Your Dentist Won’t Eat

Just as nutrition matters for overall health, it also matters a lot for dental health.

Many foods and drinks are dangerous for the teeth and can cause ill health. Some of them are so obvious while some of them are not. Maybe it is the ones that are not obvious, that are most critical.

We will be looking at some of the nonobvious foods and drinks that might be bad for the teeth and should be avoided or their consumption reduced.

Deciding whether to abstain or reduce consumption is not always easy, but first of all, the eight foods and drinks that are unhealthy for the teeth.

Energy drinks and Sports Drinks

Constant consumption of energy drinks and sports drinks is dangerous to the teeth. Many of these drinks contain a high proportion of two elements that are risk factors for the teeth: acid and sugar. These two elements can easily lead to the development of cavities in the teeth and the start of a process of tooth decay.

Sweetened and Flavored Coffee Creamer

Severe health conditions can arise when sugar and flavored creamers are added to coffee to sweeten it. The sugar and the creamer can cause damage to the teeth. Therefore, while coffee on its own might be cool for the teeth, the addition of sugar and flavored creamers can make it dangerous to the teeth.

Alcoholic Beverages

Alcoholic drinks can easily lead to dry mouth. The mouth can easily get dried up when you take alcoholic beverages as a lifestyle with much frequency and intensity. A dry mouth can be the facilitating factor for the development of cavities and other nauseous gum diseases. Scientific research has even found out that such condition can be an inducement for cancer of the mouth.

Dried Fruits and Sour Gummies

Sour gummy candies also have a high proportion of sugar. The sugary content can as well damage the enamel just like the sports drinks and the energy drinks. But that’s not all. The gummy element of the sour gummy candies also means that they tend to stick on the teeth for an extended period. It will lead to the development of bacteria on the teeth and cause untold damage.

This tendency to gum and sticks around is also common to dried fruits.

Ice

Dentists advise that Ice can be a significant risk factor for the enamel which is the part of the teeth that protects the crown. It is the strongest, and when weakened, the other tissues collapse with it. Chewing ice is dangerous for the teeth. While it may be added to drink, it should be well dissolved, so you do not chew it.

Lemons

Lemon is a citrus juice that is very good for the health when it is properly used. When lemon is added to a drink or even ordinary water, it adds value. But there is the temptation to suck the lemon wedges. Sucking the lemon wedges may have a negative effect on the enamel which is the major protective tissue of the teeth. Like other citrus juices, the acid in the juice can deepen sores in the mouth.

Protein Bars

The sugar content in a protein bar makes it dangerous to the teeth. It is best to avoid protein bars or to take them with water to quickly wash away the effect on the teeth.

Popcorn

The popcorn contains some kernels that don’t pop. While generally, the popcorn is soft and healthy (if it does not contain too much sugar), those kernels can be a big problem for the teeth. Some of these kernels can cause the tooth to break and result in untold pain.

Many dentists recommend that the response might not necessarily be to stop the consumption of all these foods and drinks but rather to limit the use. You might significantly reduce the risk factor if they are limited, coupled with good dental practices,

For example, Alcohol consumption and frequency might be reduced, same with sports and energy drinks. Coffee might be taken without the sugar and the flavored cream while popcorn can be sorted to avoid the kernels. You can use ice without cracking it with the teeth and lemons without the wedges.