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9 Foods That Are Damaging Your Teeth

Sugary Hard Candies

Avoiding eating sugary hard candies, like lollipops, may seem like a no-brainer. But it’s nice to indulge once in a while if you have a sweet tooth! If you’re constantly exposing your teeth to sugar, it can be harmful. In addition to the damaging effects of sugar, if you bite the wrong way, you could break or chip a tooth, causing you to now have a dental emergency. Chewing sugarless gum is a great way to get that sugary taste without the damage.

Ice

While not necessarily a food, chewing on ice can be damaging to your teeth’s enamel. We recommend enjoying your water in its liquid form!

Citrus

Eating healthy can mean incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet. However, the acidity in certain foods can erode your enamel, leaving your teeth susceptible to decay, or can irritate any sores in your mouth. Sprucing up your water with a squeeze of lemon or lime can be great for taste, but be sure to eat citrus fruits in moderation, so drink plenty of plain water, too!

Coffee

Coffee and tea can be healthy drinks to have in the morning in their natural form, however, if you’re adding sugar or honey, it can be detrimental to your teeth. The caffeine in coffee and tea also has the potential to dry out your mouth, and frequent coffee or tea drinkers may find that their teeth are becoming stained or discolored.

Sticky Foods

Dried fruit can seem like a healthy choice to incorporate into your diet, but the stickiness in the dried fruits can damage your teeth, as they can stay on your teeth much longer than fruit in its natural form. If your new snack is trail mix, make sure you’re rinsing your teeth with water after you’ve eaten and brush and floss carefully.

Crunchy Foods

Crunchy foods like potato chips are full of starch, which has the tendency to get trapped in your teeth. If you’ve eaten especially starchy foods, make sure you floss your teeth thoroughly afterwards to prevent a build-up of plaque.

Soda

The sugars that are found in soda cause plaque bacteria, which produce acids that attack your enamel. Like teas and coffees, the caffeine in soda can dry your mouth.

Alcohol

Alcohol can cause dry mouth and dehydration, and those who drink excessively will find that over time, their saliva flow is reduced - leading to tooth decay or other oral infections like gum disease. Heavy use can increase your risk for mouth cancer.

Sports Drinks

Sports drinks may sound healthy, but in many sports drinks, sugar is the first ingredient. While they can be great for young athletes who are engaged in prolonged physical activity, they’re unnecessary for most average drinkers.

Dr. Julie Liberman DDS of Great Neck Dental Care NY proudly serves patients of all ages in the Great Neck area, spanning New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Douglaston, Jericho, Roslyn, etc. Book your checkup today to see how you can prevent damage to your teeth and maintain good dental health.