We all know that chomping on candy and drinking sugary sodas is bad for our teeth.
But did you know that, while you’re diligently avoiding those things, your teeth are being quietly attacked by other foods you might not have thought of?
Here are the top 4 foods that you probably didn’t realize were bad for your teeth.
1) Diet Sodas
If you’re a fan of a nice cold soda, then you might think that switching to a sugar-free variety is doing your teeth a favor.
Unfortunately, you’d be wrong; diet sodas can be just as bad, or even worse for your teeth than regular soda.
Did you know that diet sodas are strongly acidic, with a pH level of around 3.2? To put that into perspective, battery acid has a pH of 1, and water has a pH of 7.
OK, diet soda isn’t like drinking battery acid, but it does has a corrosive effect on the protective enamel layer that surrounds your teeth. Once your enamel has been worn down, it’s never coming back, and plaque bacteria is free to attack the fragile tooth underneath.
2) Fruit Juices and Smoothies
In an effort to ween children off sodas that are bad for their health, the latest trend is to substitute them for “healthy” fruit juices and smoothies.
These drinks might provide your body with nutrients and vitamins that are great for overall health, but they play havoc with your teeth.
Smoothies can be worse than diet sodas; not only are they very acidic, but they also contain a lot of sugar.
If you do enjoy the occasional soda or smoothie, rinse your mouth out with clean water afterwards, and brush your teeth 30 to 40 minutes later.
People often forget that most bread recipes contain sugar. A spoonful of sugar in a homemade loaf of bread isn’t going to cause any problems, but when was the last time you looked at the nutritional content of a shop bought loaf?
Now, this depends on where in the world you live, but in some countries (such as the United States), shop-bought bread can contain a whole spoon of sugar in every single slice!
If you enjoy toast and jam for breakfast, this can be mean that you’ve eaten 10 spoons of sugar before you’ve barely started the day. Add a few spoons into your coffee, and your total is 12 spoons of sugar for breakfast!
Get into the habit of checking the nutritional information on the back of shop-bought bread. Four grams and over, means that there’s a spoon of sugar in every single slice.
3) Deli Meat
This is another one that surprises people, but sugar is indeed added to deli meat both as a preservative, and for flavor.
Compared with the other foods on our list, deli meat contains a relatively low amount of sugar. But the problem is that it does tend to get stuck in-between the teeth; providing a fertile breeding ground for plaque.
If you look forward to a sandwich loaded with deli meat every lunch time, then you really need to make sure that you’re flossing your teeth every day. Brushing simply can’t reach in-between your teeth, and you don’t want to leave fragments of meat in your mouth for plaque bacteria to munch on!
This article was provided by ToothbrushTown, your source for dental health news, tips and reviews.