31% of adults in the UK have tooth decay, 33% have never flossed or cleaned interdentally, and 66% have visible plaque. Everybody knows they need to brush their teeth for 2 minutes twice a day and that they need to floss. What’s less known are the types of foods that cause tooth decay in the first place. Limiting the consumption of these foods will contribute to your teeth’s overall long-term health… even tomatoes!
That sweets are bad for your teeth is no surprise to anyone! However, sour sweets are particularly bad as they contain various acids that are tougher on your teeth, such as citric, malic, tartaric, and fumaric acids. These break down the protective coating around your enamels so when you think you’re brushing away all those acids after your sour-sweet-feast, you’re actually just rubbing them into your teeth! The best thing to do, apart from avoiding them altogether, is to eat sour sweets with, or just after meals, as the saliva produced by your meal will help to get rid of these acids quicker.
As you eat bread the saliva in your mouth breaks it down into sugar. The pasty substance that’s produced gets stuck in the crevices between your teeth very easily and this can cause cavities over time. This is one of the many reasons why wholemeal bread is such a good decision for your overall health because it contains less sugar and isn’t as easily broken down. Unfortunately, crisps lead to the same problems. Like bread, crisps form a destructive paste so it’s a doubly good idea to floss after eating them!
As was the case with sour sweets, everybody knows that fizzy drinks are bad for your teeth. Carbonated drinks encourage plaque to produce more acid in order to attack your tooth enamels. Not only this, but they also dry your mouth out and saliva is a natural teeth-cleanser because it removes food debris and harmful bacteria. As is the case with sour sweets, you should avoid brushing your teeth after drinking fizzy drinks as this will only aid tooth decay.
Tomatoes, Oranges, and Anything Pickled
Fruit and vegetables are good for you… Right? Whilst this is broadly true, particularly acidic fruit and vegetables contribute to tooth decay by eroding enamels. Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits are obvious culprits but tomatoes are an underdog in this regard. They might taste amazing and contribute to a lot of popular dishes and sauces but their consumption ought to be limited. Tomato-based products often contain these acids in a more concentrated form so these ought to be limited as well. It’s recommended that you rinse your mouth with water after eating acidic fruit and vegetables.
Now that you know which foods contribute most to tooth decay you can begin to work on limiting their consumption. If you have any further questions or would like to find out about our range of dental services from veneers to acupuncture, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Manor Road Dental Practise by calling 01792 653 826 today!