Three Types of Food and Drink That Your Dentist Hates

If you're like most people, you probably don't enjoy dentist appointments. However, occasional check-ups from your dentist are one thing that helps keep your teeth healthy and strong. After all, good oral health is about more than simply brushing and flossing your teeth several times per day. Everything you consume plays a role in your oral health. So, if you want to ace your future dental exams, you should try your best to avoid eating and drinking these things.

Soft Drinks

Most people know that soda contains sugar and that sugar can cause cavities. However, did you know that drinking diet soda can damage your teeth too? The fact is, sugar isn't the ingredient in soda that does the most damage to your teeth. Many types of soda and diet soda contain acid, which makes your tooth enamel weak enough that your teeth become susceptible to cavities and tooth decay. If it's possible, you should completely give up soda and stick to drinking water. However, if you can't function without caffeine, use a straw when you drink soda to minimize the amount of contact the soda has with your teeth.

Hard Candy

It's common for people to grab a hard candy or peppermint after a meal, but chances are, your dentist would advise you to skip that part of your routine. Biting into hard candy can break or crack your teeth, sealants, or fillings. However, you shouldn't suck on hard candy either. It puts your teeth in contact with sugar for an extended period of time. It's much better on your teeth to eat a candy bar instead of sucking on a hard candy—that is, if you take the time to brush and floss afterward.

Red Pasta Sauce

Tooth enamel absorbs the color from foods that you consume, which is why people who regularly drink red wine tend to have stained teeth. This happens because the enamel on your teeth is porous. So, to help keep your teeth stain free, avoid topping your spaghetti with red pasta sauce. Additionally, the acid from the tomatoes in red pasta sauce can break down your tooth enamel, which could lead to tooth decay. So, try topping your pasta with white or garlic sauce instead. If you do happen to eat red pasta sauce, drink a lot of water with your meal to continually flush the acid from your mouth.

While red pasta sauce, hard candy, and soda are all bad for your teeth, they aren't the only things that aren't tooth friendly. If you're concerned about your family's oral health, talk to your dentist to get a list of foods and beverages that you should avoid.