You Are What you Eat | Eating and Drinking for Your Tooth Enamel
Skip the sugar. Help prevent tooth decay.
When it comes to food and drink, we oftentimes consider how what we consume will affect our stomach, waistlines and even heart before we think twice about our teeth and gums. However, what we put in our mouths matters, and sadly, some of the things we enjoy most wreak havoc on our pearly whites and cause more damage than we give them credit for.
To Prevent Tooth Decay, Don't Sugar Coat It
Why Sugar is Bad for Tooth Enamel
In their article, “Everyday Habits That Damage Your Teeth,” WebMD credits sugar to being the teeth’s number one enemy because of the acid-producing bacteria that consumes it. As these acids break down the sugars in your mouth, they break down tooth enamel as well. Because of this, it does matter how long sugary substances stay in your mouth. The more they linger, the more acids your mouth produces.
To Protect Your Tooth Enamel, Limit Acidity
Acids pose a threat to your oral health. It is no surprise then that sodas, juices and alcohol which all contain varying amounts of acid have the ability to erode tooth enamel. In fact, Robert Sorin, DDS likens drinking soft drinks to “bathing teeth in an acid environment.”
Alcohol is also responsible for drying out the mouth. This leads to a decrease of saliva production -- a production process that otherwise aids in the removal of plaque and bacterial acids. As saliva decreases, these acids and accumulations increase, putting teeth at risk for tooth decay. Web MD advises individuals to rinse their mouth with water between drinks of alcohol to avoid further damage their teeth.
Count the Costs
When it comes to what you eat and drink, we encourage you to consider your dental health and limit foods and beverages that may do more damage than good. If you have questions about maintaining a dental - friendly diet please check out our previous post, "Nutrition | How Maintaining a Vitamin-Rich Diet Can Lead to Oral Health" or make an appointment with your dentist today!
Who We Are
Lake Cities Dental has been serving the dental care needs to Southlake area residents for over 12 years and is proud to offer a wide variety of dental treatments under one roof.
Contact Lake Cities Dental for more information about Family Dentistry and Orthodontics in the Southlake, TX area. (817) 410-7373. Also, check us out on Facebook and Google+.