For Optimal Oral Health, Avoid These 6 Foods and Drinks
At an early age, we learn to brush correctly, floss daily, make regular appointments with our dentists, and try to do everything right for optimal oral health. Quite simply, everyone wants a white, bright, and radiant smile.
But we may be unknowingly sabotaging ourselves with some of the foods and drinks we consume. Many things we gobble and gulp can lead to plaque, which does serious damage teeth and gums.
What we ingest impacts our dental health. To help you make the best choices, we’ve outlined the six foods and drinks that can be detrimental to long-term oral health.
1. Sugar
Sugar is your mouth’s greatest enemy. The bacteria in your mouth feed on sugars to create acids. These acids can easily lead to cavities and dental problems. In other words, sugars in your mouth are often the first step in the process of poor dental health.
Sugar is like a magnet for bad bacteria. Published research show that cavities can occur when the bacteria in the mouth digest the sugar and produce acid, which weakens tooth enamel. So, think twice before eating that sugary snack. Many studies have found that the frequent consumption of sweets and sugary drinks leads to dental issues.
2. Soda and Energy Drinks
You’ve likely heard that sugary soft drinks are one of the worst offenders and can cause problems for oral health. Even diet versions with artificial sweeteners can destroy beneficial bacteria.3
When drinking sugary liquids, plaque bacteria uses the sugar to produce acids that attack the enamel, the hard surface of your tooth.
Beverages labeled as “energy drinks” are also harmful when it comes to oral health. Many sports and energy fluids are often packed full of refined sugar, sweeteners, and acidic ingredients, which are likely to wear down that all-important tooth enamel.
3. Potato Chips
Kids of all ages love to snack on chips. The problem is that they have a tendency to get stuck in the spaces between the teeth and gums, attacking your mouth and creating dental decay. The majority of these salty snacks are also high in starch, which turns to sugar as it breaks down in the mouth. Once again, this process creates “bad bacteria” and increases the chance of experiencing dental complications.
4. Coffee and Tea
It’s no surprise that if you want to keep your teeth sparkling white, neither coffee or tea are your best options. These beverages may stain and discolor your teeth, and no one wants that to happen.
Caffeinated versions of beverages such as coffee can also dry out your mouth. Our mouths naturally produce saliva, which promotes a healthy bacterial balance. This helps the beneficial bacteria thrive while also reducing plaque build-up.
People who drink large amounts of coffee or tea find their saliva flow is reduced over time. Poor levels of saliva can result in tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral infections.
In addition, coffee can contribute to halitosis or bad breath because of its thick scent and the way it increases oral bacteria in the mouth.
5. Ice
When it comes to healthy teeth and gums, ice is not just solidified water. Yes, ice itself is fine, until you start crunching it. Chewing on hard substances can leave your teeth vulnerable and damage the enamel. In fact, ice chewing potentially leads to painful, problematic cracks, and dental emergencies.
6. Gummy snacks and supplements
Sticky foods can cause damage since they tend to stay on the teeth longer than other types of food.
Whether in candy or as supplements, sugar is often one of the main ingredients. Although gummy supplements may be a convenient way to get your daily nutrients, they are often packed with sugar and require several gummies each day to get the proper levels of vitamins.
This results in a depositing sticky little traces in crevices, allowing sugar to attack the teeth gums long after you’ve finished eating.
Good Bacteria Matters
Like so much else in the body, the balance of good bacteria influences optimum oral health.
Your mouth, just like your gut requires beneficial bacteria to remain strong and healthy. Researchers have discovered that supplementing with a specific probiotic strain helped significantly reduce the amount of bacteria.
Taking a daily probiotic is one of the best steps you can do to fortify oral health.
Supercharge your oral health with high-quality powdered probiotics which provide a convenient, sugar-free, flavorless product that can blend with any food or drink.
With a little effort and by substituting teeth-friendly foods combined with probiotic support, you’ll be on the road to having that perfect for the ultimate selfie.
