Teeth. We certainly use them to smile, and we certainly use them to chew. Without our teeth, we would be unable to eat a majority of the foods we love. More often than not however, we don’t take into consideration the health and integrity of the tools we use to enjoy them! In this post, we’ll outline the Top 5 foods that are downright bad for the health of your pearly white teeth!
At the time of writing this, it’s June 11th, which means Happy National Corn on the Cob Day! Celebrations aside, we can’t pretend that corn on the cob is even remotely good for your teeth! For patients with any orthodontic wiring, or those with dentures, America’s favorite BBQ side dish can be calamitous for your mouth! Our dentist pro tip? Shear the corn from the cob, and then eat it! Easier said than done, but we promise you’ll be smiling when you’re done!
Chill out there, ice is not a stress ball for your teeth. (Pun absolutely intended). Chewing ice can have disastrous effects on your mouth- and can lead to broken teeth pretty easily. A broken tooth is certainly not something to smile about. Chewing on hard ice can lead to dental emergencies and broken enamel.
Much like ice, biting down on hard candy can break your teeth. Hard candy is also more sinister- loaded with sugar, its traces provide a smorgasbord for the bacteria in your mouth, and without proper hygiene follow up, both at home and in office, this can create painful cavities.
Frequent oral exposure to citrus fruits like lemon or lime- even a spritz in your water, can break down the enamel on your teeth- creating an open door for tooth decay later down the road. Drinking plain water helps prevent exposure to the acidity in these fruits.
Starchbased foods, whether they be crunchy or chewy, can cause damage to your teeth. Starch foods are more likely to get stuck in your teeth, and the crunch kind (while it may not seem like it), can lead to broken teeth. The most dangerous starchy food to look out for is the bagel (we know, it kills us too). Bagels are surprising tough for your mouth to manage- and their chewy nature can cause problems with any cosmetic crowns or bridges, orthodontic wiring, dentures, or even natural teeth.
We may have sounded like the bearer of bad news, we are not suggesting you avoid these foods at all costs.. because frankly, we would be hypocrites- what we do advise is that you moderate your intake of these dangerous foods, and visit your dental hygienist at least twice a year to make sure you have done any damage!
