You probably already know that food and drink can affect your oral health, both positively and negatively. Prevention is the best way to keep a healthy smile, and that includes your diet! Here’s some of the worst foods and drinks that can cause dental issues:
Hard and Chewy Candy: Hard candies or dense, chewy candies are particular bad for your teeth as they can easily break a tooth or pull out a filling. Candy also has such a high sugar content that you’re likely to increase your risk or decay over time if you eat it regularly.
Ice: Many people have a habit of chewing on ice. This can break down your enamel and potential cause a dental emergency if the ice cracks a tooth.
Coffee: Coffee can stain your teeth, and if you drink sweetened versions you’re also increasing your risk of tooth decay from the sugar exposure. Since this is a common habit for patients, we recommend drinking plenty of water in addition to any coffee to help prevent staining.
Citrus: While citrus can be healthy for your body, over-eating citrusy foods can be detrimental to your teeth. Citrus wears away your tooth enamel, so it’s best to limit your intake.
Soda: Another popular drink, soda is widely known to increase tooth decay. With so much added sugar to these drinks, your teeth will decay much more quickly if you drink soda normally. Your best option is to switch to water!
While many food and drink items affect oral health negatively, making the switches away from these items can help you improve your oral health drastically. Your dentist can always answer any questions about specific items that you have concerns about, and preventative care is the best way to avoid big dental issues in the future.
Dentist Anchorage AK
If you have any questions, or if you’d like to schedule an appointment for a cleaning, contact our office today to get started! Our team is always happy to answer any questions that you may have, and we can’t wait to help you get the smile and healthy mouth that you’ve always wanted! Our number one priority is to ensure that you and your family have healthy, strong teeth.