Tooth rot or decay can occur to any individual, irrespective of how old you are. This is often due to plaque buildup, which can cause cavities and tooth decay.
Cavities usually occur due to the bacteria feeding on the sugar in your diet. Also, the bacteria convert these sugars into an acid that erodes your tooth’s enamel, causing cavities.
Therefore, some foods and beverages can enhance your teeth’ health while others can trigger rotting.
The following are the top six foods that can rot your teeth. You should be wary of these foods.
1. Fruit Juice
Although fruit juice blended from pure fruits can supply your body with many vital nutrients, consuming it too often may cause your teeth to rot. That’s because most fruit juices, particularly those made using more acidic fruits, including lemons, grapes, apples, and oranges, can erode your tooth enamel.
Therefore, you should schedule a visit with your private dentist to learn what fruits are less acidic and healthiest to make fruit juice from.
2. Carbonated Drinks
Carbonated drinks, including soda, usually contain high amounts of sugar, which covers your teeth, causing tooth decay. Carbonated drinks can facilitate plaque to produce more acid, eroding your tooth enamel and causing tooth rot.
Carbonated drinks, especially dark-colored ones, can stain or cause discoloration of your teeth. For these reasons, if possible, avoid drinking carbonated drinks in their entirety but if not, limit their consumption at least.
3. Refined Carbs
Refined carbs, including french fries, white bread, chips, or crackers, aren’t healthy for your teeth. That’s because all these are simple carbs that break down into sugars. When these sugars blend with the bacteria in your mouth, they cause the plaque to ferment and produce lactic acid. It’s this acid that causes your tooth enamel to erode.
White bread is one of the worst refined carbs as it often sticks to your teeth, allowing the bacteria to produce more lactic acid. Therefore, you should consider omitting refined carbs, especially white bread, from your diet to keep your teeth healthy.
4. Potato Chips
Perhaps you’re one of the individuals who love the crunchy nature of potato chips and the satisfaction they offer. However, have you thought about what their rich starch composition can do to your teeth?
The starch in potato chips easily breaks down into sugar, gets confined on and between your teeth, and becomes food for the bacteria in the plaque. Consequently, this leads to the production of lactic acid, which erodes your tooth enamel causing cavities and rotting.
5. Alcoholic Drinks
Perhaps you already know that alcoholic drinks aren’t exactly healthy. Nevertheless, are you aware that whenever you drink alcohol, your mouth dries out? Consequently, a dry mouth runs short of saliva, which you require to maintain healthy teeth.
According to dentists, having enough saliva in your mouth helps prevent food from sticking to your teeth and clears away food particles. Saliva is so important in your mouth that it can help mend early signs of tooth rot, gum disease, and other oral infections. Therefore, you should avoid consuming alcoholic drinks and keep your mouth hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
6. Dried Foods
Even though nutritionists often recommend dried foods as part and parcel of a healthy diet, their sticky nature makes them bad for your teeth. Additionally, the plaque acid dried foods often produce can cause your teeth to rot once you eat them. Therefore, opt for fresh foods rather than dried ones when possible. That way, you can reduce the risk dried foods have of causing tooth rot.
Concluding Remarks
Overall, not all foods are unhealthy for your teeth and mouth. In any case, consuming the right foods can enhance your overall dental health. That’s why you must understand the foods that can cause your teeth to rot, like the above six foods. Ultimately, that way, you can embrace healthy foods while omitting unhealthy ones from your diet.