Dental health is about more than twice daily teeth cleanings, once-daily flossing, and biannual visits to the dentist. What you eat has a huge impact on your teeth and gums, with some foods promoting tooth decay at a much faster rate than others. Here, learn about cavity-causing foods to avoid as much as possible for a healthier mouth and smile.

5 Foods Contributing to Dental Decay

1. White Bread

A member of the starch family, white bread is a simple carbohydrate that saliva enzymes turn to sugar as you chew. The resulting paste-like substance lodges in between your teeth and gums for mouth bacteria to feed on and form decay-causing acids and plaque. If you can’t give up bread, choose whole wheat versions containing fewer sugars.

2. Dried Fruit

The added sugars dried apricots, grapes, prunes, cranberries, and other such fruits come with do not contribute to mouth health. Their chewy texture makes dried fruit even more harmful because they stick to teeth, giving mouth bacteria plenty of time to create plaque. Consume non-dried fruit instead while also avoiding fruit drinks. Like dried fruits, these beverages contain too much added sugar.

3. Citrus Fruits

While oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and other citrus fruits come loaded with vitamin C and other essential nutrients, you must enjoy them with water. The liquid flushes the mouth of citrus fruit acids that break down enamel, or teeth’s protective outer shell. Enamel erosion not only increases the risk of tooth decay and heightens sensitivity, it exposes underlying dentin to give teeth a yellowish appearance.

3. Sticky & Hard Candies

Gummy bears and worms, sticky sour candies, lollipops, and hard caramels are among the many sweet treats your dentist wants you to avoid. And while all sugar-based candies should be consumed on an infrequent basis, sticky and hard options are among the worst offenders because they stay stuck on teeth. Opt for sugar-free candies and gum instead.

5. Potato Chips

As you bite into potato chips, you are releasing starches that attach to teeth and turn to decay-causing sugars that mouth bacteria love. And since chips are also a source of saturated fat and salt, it is a good idea to swap them for other crunchy foods that clean instead of harm teeth. Dentists routinely recommend carrots and celery, as they offer a satisfying crunch while naturally scraping the teeth of plaque.
 

Avoid these foods and schedule your next dentist appointment at Stanley R McCardle DMD / Family Dentistry to keep your teeth decay-free. The dentist serves Headland, AL, and the surrounding 50-mile radius, providing teeth cleanings, same-day crowns, and oral cancer screenings among other services since 1992. Call (334) 693-2112 today to schedule your next teeth cleaning or visit the dentist online for more about exams and treatments. Keep the dental health advice coming by following the practice’s Twitter feed.