LIFESTYLE & EATING HABITS
THAT RUIN YOUR TEETH
FOOD & DRINKS
POTATO CHIPS, LENTIL CHIPS, ETC.
- The bacteria in plaque will also break down starchy foods into acid
- This acid can attack the teeth for 20 minutes or more if the food is stuck between the teeth
or you snack often - You might want to floss after eating potato chips or other starchy foods that tend to get stuck
in the teeth
CONSTANT SNACKING
- Snacking produces less saliva than a meal, leaving food bits in your teeth for hours longer
- Avoid snacking too frequently & stick to snacks that are low in sugar & starch like carrot sticks
GUMMY CANDY
- All sugary treats promote tooth decay, but some candies are harsher
- Gummies stick in the teeth, keeping the sugar & resulting acids in contact with your
enamel for hours - If you have to have a gummy, eat 1 during a meal instead of as a separate snack
- More saliva is produced during meals, which helps rinse away candy bits & acids
COUGH DROPS
- Just because cough drops are sold in the medicine aisle doesn't mean they’re healthy
- Most are loaded with sugar
- Whether the sugar comes from a cough drop or a hard candy, it reacts with the sticky plaque that coats your teeth
- Then bacteria in the plaque converts the sugar into an acid that eats away at tooth enamel which can give you cavities
- So after soothing your throat with a lozenge, be sure to brush well
BINGE EATING
- Binge eating often involves excessive amounts of sweets, which can lead to tooth decay
- Binging & purging (bulimia nervosa) can do even more damage to dental health
- The strong acids found in vomit can erode teeth, making them brittle & weak & those acids
also cause bad breath - Bulimia can lead to a variety of serious health problems, so be sure to talk to your doctor
if you have been purging
DRINKING COFFEE
- Coffee's dark color& acidity can cause yellowing of the teeth over time
- Luckily, it's one of the easiest stains to treat with various whitening methods
- Talk to your dentist if you're concerned about discoloration of your teeth
SODA
- Candy isn't the only culprit when it comes to added sugar, sodas can have up to 11
teaspoons of sugar per serving - Sodas also contain phosphoric & citric acids, which eat away at tooth enamel
- Diet soft drinks let you skip the sugar, but they may have even more acid from the
artificial sweeteners
SPORTS DRINKS
- A cold sports drink is refreshing after a good workout but these drinks are usually high
in sugar - Like soda or candy, sugary sports drinks create an acid attack on the enamel of your teeth
so drinking them frequently can lead to decay - A better way to stay hydrated at the gym is to chug sugar-free, calorie-free water
FRUIT JUICE
- Fruit juice is loaded with vitamins & antioxidants, but unfortunately most juices are also
loaded with sugar - Some juices can have as much sugar per serving as soda
- For example, there are only 10 more grams of sugar in orange soda than in orange juice
- Fruits are naturally sweet, so look for juice that has no added sugar
- You can also reduce the sugar content by diluting juice with some water
BEDTIME BOTTLES
- It’s never too early to protect teeth
- Giving a baby a bedtime bottle of juice, milk, or formula, can put new teeth on a path to decay
- The baby may become used to falling asleep with the bottle their mouth, bathing the teeth in sugars overnight
- It's best to keep bottles out of the crib
RED WINE
- The acids in wine eat away at tooth enamel, creating rough spots that make teeth more vulnerable to staining
- Red wine also contains a deep pigment called chromogen & tannins, which help the color
stick to the teeth - This combination makes it easy for the wine's red color to stay with you long after your
glass is empty
WHITE WINE
- You probably think sticking to white wine would spare your teeth
- However, the acids still weaken the enamel, leaving the teeth porous and vulnerable to
staining from other beverages, such as coffee - Swishing with water after drinking or using toothpaste with a mild whitening agent can fight the staining effects of red & white wines
CHEWING
ICE
- It’s natural & sugar free, so you might think ice is harmless
- But munching on hard, frozen cubes can chip or even crack your teeth
- If your mindless chomping irritates the soft tissue inside a tooth, regular toothaches may follow
- Hot foods & cold foods may trigger quick, sharp jabs of pain or a lingering toothache
- Next time you get the urge for ice, chew some sugarless gum instead
PENCILS
- Don't chew on your pencil when you're reading or studying
- Like crunching on ice, this habit can cause teeth to chip or crack
- Sugarless gum is a better option when you feel the need to chew
- It will trigger the flow of saliva, which can make teeth stronger & protect against enamel-eating acids
GRINDING TEETH
- Teeth grinding can wear teeth down over time
- It is most often caused by stress & sleeping habits which makes it hard to control
- Avoiding hard foods during the day can reduce pain & damage from this habit
- Wearing a mouth guard at night can prevent the damage caused by grinding while sleeping
USING YOUR TEETH TO OPEN THINGS
- Opening bottle caps or plastic packaging with your teeth may be convenient, but this is a
very bad habit - Using your teeth as tools can cause them to crack or chip
- Instead, keep scissors & bottle openers nearby
- Teeth should only be used for eating
TONGUE PIERCINGS
- Tongue piercings may be trendy, but biting down on the metal stud can crack a tooth
- Lip piercings pose a similar risk
- When metal rubs against the gums, it can cause gum damage that may lead to tooth loss
- The mouth is also a haven for bacteria, so piercings raise the risk of infections & sores
- Discuss the health risks with your dentist before trying to pierce your tongue
PLAYING SPORTS WITH NO MOUTH GUARD
- Whether you play football, hockey or any other contact sport, don't get in the game without
a mouth guard - This is a piece of molded plastic that protects the upper row of teeth
- Without the mouth piece, your teeth could get chipped or even knocked out when the action gets rough
- Self-fitting mouth guards may be purchased at a store, or you can have one custom made by your dentist
SMOKING
- Cigarettes & cigars can stain teeth & cause them to fall out as a result of gum disease
- Tobacco can also cause cancer of the mouth, lips & tongue
- If you were looking for one more reason to quit, think of your smile
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Dental Info You Want To Know Before It's Too Late
Dental Tips For Women Over 40
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