Surprising foods that are bad for your teeth
It is fairly safe to say that if you ate cake and sweets for breakfast, lunch and dinner your teeth would take a pretty hefty whack. Likewise if you only drank full sugar fizzy drinks this would not do your oral health too much good. However there are some surprising foods that are bad for your teeth and it is worth being aware of this when planning your weekly shop!
Is it true that dried fruit is bad for your teeth?
In small quantities dried fruit can be a useful alternative to high sugar snacks, especially when combined with unsalted nuts. However you need to ensure you do not eat too many as they can be high in sugar. Furthermore they can cling to your teeth and this can cause damage, so if you do snack on them take extra care when you floss!
I know that fruit juices with sugar are bad. However I drink unsweetened. That’s got to be okay, right?
Unfortunately not! The acidic nature of the juice means it can cause damage to the teeth. There is also the fact that fruits contain natural sugars in them even without sugar being added during the manufacturing process. Always read the label!
If you do want to have juice in the morning a good idea is to dilute it with water and to drink it through a straw. Make sure your children do this as well!
Should I be worried about what’s in my kid’s cereal?
This is another case of carefully reading the label. Starch in the cereal mixes with the enzymes in saliva and this contributes to tooth erosion. Try to restrict your kids to having smaller portions of the cereal and including as part of breakfast rather than the only thing they have for breakfast (also a good idea as it will fill them up more and reduce the urge for sugary snacks!)
Another alternative is to make porridge and top with a little bit of sugar or honey as you can control the amount of sugar and make sure they get the nutrients as well.
I don’t like sweets. Surely crisps aren’t bad for your teeth?
It can be tempted to see that those with a sweet tooth are the ones hurting their mouths while those who prefer savoury snacks are okay. Sadly the carbohydrates in crisps (especially the potato based ones) have a large amount of carbohydrates and this contributes to the formation of harmful bacteria that affects teeth.
It is important to remember that there is no harm in enjoying a treat every now and then. However it is worth consulting your dentist to find out more about the surprising foods that are bad for your teeth and finding more ways to help maintain a healthy smile as well as a healthy diet!
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