The documentary Sugar by Australian director Damon Gamo tells the story of a dentist from the United States. He had a mobile dental office in a trailer and traveled to different towns to treat the teeth of people with limited income. The doctor noticed an interesting trend among his patients: adults and children who consumed and abused sugary drinks on a daily basis (such as Tantrum, for example) had many teeth affected by caries.
Why some foods and drinks can damage your teeth
Indeed, oral caries is caused by bacterial plaque that accumulates on the surface of the teeth and gums, as well as between the teeth, due to the active use of certain foods and poor hygiene. However, there are certain foods that cause the appearance of pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity more than others. And that’s why people with certain eating habits and foods in their diet are more prone to caries and gum disease.
Foods that can spoil your teeth?
To begin with, abusing any food and neglecting brushing, flossing, or rinsing with mouthwash together leads to gum disease. However, certain types of foods, which we’re going to talk about right now, cause dental and gum disease more actively. Therefore, they are recommended to be consumed without fanaticism and be sure to take care of dental and gum hygiene after consumption.
Sweets
Sweets are said to be the enemy of dental health. They contain a lot of sugar (sucrose and fructose), which causes an intense spread of bacteria in the mouth, which is the main cause of caries. So it’s best to limit your sweets. If you can’t do this, don’t forget to brush your teeth after eating sugary foods.
Sweet and carbonated drinks
Drinks high in sugar also cause tooth decay. And the gas bubbles in their composition irritate the mucous membrane of the mouth and gums. Therefore, the abuse of such drinks is not good for dental health.
Nuts, crackers and other hard snacks
Too hard food, even if it is not high in sugar, is also bad for dental health. After all, when eating hard snacks and nuts, the tooth enamel is subjected to significant pressure, and therefore receives micro damages that “pave the way” for tooth decay.
Acidic foods and drinks
Acids in foods, drinks and sauces destroy the surface layers of tooth enamel and irritate the gums. All this in combination and with systematic use can significantly undermine oral health.
Fruits
Fruits are another source of sugars that can aggressively destroy tooth enamel and lead to tooth decay. The sugars in their composition, together with acids, not only create a bacterial environment in the oral cavity, but also weaken and destroy the surface layers of tooth enamel. This makes the surface of the teeth even more vulnerable to bacterial plaque. Therefore, you should at least finish eating fruit with a couple of sips of clean water to cleanse your mouth.
Foods that help maintain dental health
If there are foods that are kryptonite for dental health, then there must be others among them – those that help maintain oral health. Let’s talk about them.
Hard vegetables, namely carrots, cucumbers, beets
Eat more vegetables. We hear this advice from almost every doctor, and dentists are no exception. After all, some hard vegetables, namely the fiber they contain, help our teeth stay healthy. They help clean the tooth spaces from the remains of other food, massage the gums and improve blood circulation. They also contain many useful vitamins.
Celery, basil, parsley
These plants also bring great benefits to oral health, as they contain iodine and folic acid. In addition, greens also serve as an additional source of vitamin B, magnesium, and iron, which strengthen the circulatory system. This, in turn, leads to improved gum health (and thus teeth) and reduced bleeding.
Dairy and fermented milk products
These are the main sources of calcium for our body, so milk and dairy products are a must-have in everyone’s diet. If you follow a vegan diet, you should eat broccoli, almonds, beans, and orange juice to replenish calcium in your body.
These are the three main categories of foods that help promote healthy teeth and gums. When taking care of your oral cavity, you should also remember about daily home hygiene and professional teeth cleaning. For example, the dental clinic in Queens, Vip Dental Care, provides the services of a dental hygienist on an ongoing basis and helps patients take care of the beauty and health of their smile by getting rid of hardened plaque. So you can ask your dentist about this service or contact the clinic team.
