Oral health: Avoid highly acidic foods, refined carbohydrates and dried fruit weakened

Children's Oral Health

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When you drink and eat certain foods, you’re not only feeding yourself. You’re also feeding the germs (bacteria) that can cause tooth decay and gum disease in your mouth. Plaque is a thin, invisible, sticky film of bacteria and other materials. It covers all the surfaces of all your teeth and may be affected by certain substances you are unwittingly putting in your mouth. There are three food types synonymous with this.

Highly Acidic Foods

When it comes to your teeth, acidic foods could be extremely dangerous.

Whether contained in foods or converted from sugars by your mouth’s bacteria, acids can erode your teeth’s enamel, causing cavities and tooth decay.

A weaken enamel can also lead to a variety of problems ranging from sensitivity issues to discoloured teeth.

Examples of high acidic foods include:

  • Lemons
  • Pickles, tomatoes
  • Alcohol
  • Coffee
  • Grains
  • Certain dairy products
  • Processed foods.

Starchy foods and Refined Carbohydrates

When refined carbohydrates are consumed, they turn into sugars immediately in your mouth to kick-start the acid production by bad bacteria.

Many starchy foods, including white bread, potato chips, and pasta, can easily become lodged between teeth and in crevices.

Most are unaware that starches begin converting to sugar almost immediately by the pre-digestive process that begins in the mouth through the enzymes in saliva.

This makes them equally as bad as eating foods with added sugar.

Refined Carbohydrates are associated with tooth decay and cavities because of its break down into simple sugars.

Bacteria in the mouth feeds on these sugars and produces acids, which in turn causes tooth decay.

Dried fruits

Many people consider this to be a healthy snack choice but would be surprised at the sugar content.

They are brimming with a big dose of natural sugars and non-soluble cellulose fibre which makes them as bad for your teeth as chewy candy.

 Your best alternative is to munch on fresh fruits instead.

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