The advice ‘don’t eat sweet food if you don’t want your teeth to decay’ doesn’t just apply to children. Even as adults, there are menus labeled as tooth-damaging foods . Is that really that destructive? Excess is certainly not good. This also applies to matters of food vs dental health.
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Food That Harms Your Teeth
However, it would be nice if this understanding of tooth decay foods was not misunderstood. Actually, the source of the problem is not what food you eat, but how long your teeth are exposed to the acid produced from food residue that accumulates on the surface or between the teeth.
When you eat foods or drinks with high sugar content, the bacteria in your mouth will produce acid to process the sugar. This acid can settle on the surface of the teeth and eat away at the outermost layer of the tooth called the enamel. When the enamel has been destroyed, that’s where tooth decay begins.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cavities are the most common problem faced by people aged 6-19 years.
The impact of consuming food that damages teeth
When dental problems have occurred, then this can lead to complications. Starting from toothache, swollen gums, to bacterial infections in the gums and teeth called abscesses . Furthermore, rarely brushing your teeth can also be a trigger for tooth decay that is getting worse.
Then how to prevent it? Of course, by making sure the teeth are not exposed to acids in the mouth for too long after consuming certain foods or drinks.
In addition, it’s a good idea to recognize the list of tooth-damaging foods to be more alert before or after consuming them.
Types of tooth decay food
From the correlation above, that’s why there are many menus that are labeled as tooth decaying foods. The form can vary, ranging from solid, soft, to liquid.
Here are some foods that are not good for teeth:
1. Sour candy
Since childhood, candy is often used as a ‘weapon’ to scare young children from the threat of tooth decay. Furthermore, bitter-tasting candy contains an acid that is more strongly attached to the tooth surface.
In addition, if these candies stay on the teeth for a long time due to their mushy texture, they can lead to tooth decay . After consuming candy, you are advised to immediately clean your teeth, at least by gargling with water.
2. Bread
Ever imagined that bread would be on the list of tooth decay foods? In fact, the saliva in our mouths will turn the chewed bread into sugar.
Just like rice, the carbohydrate content in bread can also be processed by the body into sugar. The sugar content is what will then be the culprit for the emergence of cavities.
Not to mention, when the bread is lumpy in texture, and makes the possibility of sticking to the teeth even greater. This is what causes cavities.
If you are a bread lover, it would be better if you eat whole wheat bread with lower sugar content.
3. Alcohol
It’s not a healthy lifestyle if you’re still in contact with alcohol. In fact, alcohol makes your mouth dry . In fact, saliva or saliva is needed to protect teeth from symptoms of decay.
Saliva in the oral cavity has various functions. One of them, is as a natural cleanser of the oral cavity. If the mouth is dry or the production of saliva decreases, then these functions cannot work properly.
For that, immediately consume water and brush your teeth after consuming alcohol.
4. Chips
Relaxing while eating chips is fun. But the problem is, this fun is not always good for the teeth. Chips are also a food that causes cavities that need to be limited.
The starch in potato chips can actually damage your teeth. When digested, it becomes sugar that gets trapped between the teeth and can cause plaque. Moreover, eating chips are rarely in small quantities.
5. Dried fruit
The reputation of dried fruit has always been considered a healthy snack. It is true. However, fruits such as apricots, raisins, prunes, and others, are prone to sticking and eroding teeth.
As a result? Sugar will be left on the surface of the teeth. Make sure to always rinse or brush your teeth after consuming it to maintain tooth enamel. It would be better if you eat fruit in its original form, of course it is lower in sugar content.