Foods That Can Surprisingly Ruin Your Teeth
Posted on August 05, 2013 by Michael Martin Leaño
You probably learned when you were young that having too much candy causes tooth decay and cavities. Later on, you may have also found out that drinking red wine or coffee can stain your pearly whites. Here's the kicker: you probably didn't know that there are also certain foods not commonly known to damage teeth, which you may be consuming regularly. The examples below might surprise you.
- Sports drinks
Yes, sports drinks do have sugar, but it's actually the acid that can ruin your teeth. According to a study by the General Dentistry journal, sports and energy drinks have so much acid that they can start damaging your teeth after only five days of regular consumption. The acid destroys the teeth's enamel and makes it vulnerable to cavities and decay.
- Milk
Here's something surprising: milk has always been said to strengthen teeth because of its calcium. In fact, teeth can gain density after drinking milk. So how can it ruin teeth? It depends on the type of milk. Cow's milk can protect teeth, but alternatives like formula or soy milk can actually damage it. The sugars in formula milk, for instance, can damage children's teeth, while soy milk produces more acid that can cause the formation of cavities.
- White wine
Red wine may have a reputation for staining teeth, but white wine can ruin it. Research has revealed that frequent consumption of white wine will erode the enamel in teeth and lower its calcium and mineral content. The result: it makes your teeth more sensitive to sweet food, and to hot and cold drinks. To make it worse, brushing your teeth soon afterwards can worsen the damage because the teeth have been weakened by the acids. Furthermore, since the teeth's protection has worn off, it's now more susceptible to staining.
- Bread
Many breads are rich in sugar not always because its makers deliberately put them there, but because of the presence of carbohydrates and starches. When you chew any bread, your saliva's enzymes convert the starch to sucrose (more commonly known as table sugar). White bread is especially worse because it contains a lot of sugar, aside from what is already produced naturally.
So what does this have to do with ruining teeth? The bacteria in your mouth feed on this sugar and produce acid that can erode the enamel in your teeth. Since bread sticks to your teeth and has plenty of sugar, it can stay there for long periods and provides plenty of fuel for the bacteria.
- Mints
Having a mint after your meal can cause demineralization (i.e. the loss of enamel) in your teeth and make it vulnerable to decay. This occurs because the mint usually stays in one area of your mouth, causing the accumulation of acid that can damage your teeth. To take care of your teeth and nip your bad breath in the bud, use sugar-free mints instead.
- Apples
Surprise, surprise. An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but it would make you see your dentist more often. According to research, eating apples is said to be more damaging to teeth than drinking carbonated beverages. Apples may be high in acid, but what actually damages your teeth is if you eat the fruit slowly. This makes it more likely to have your teeth's dentine (the hard tissue under the enamel) damaged.
- Meats
It's established that sugar isn't particularly good for your teeth, but why is meat on this list? Simply because it gets easily stuck between your teeth. Remember: leaving food in the mouth for long periods attracts bacteria and lead to tooth decay. Furthermore, there are certain meat products that are preserved with sugar. To protect your teeth, brush and floss at first opportunity.
- Citrus fruits
Oranges, lemons, grapefruits, kumquats, and limes are some examples of citrus fruits. They have high concentrations of acid that can strip the enamel off your teeth if consumed too often. Since many citrus fruits are stringy and fibrous, it can get stuck between teeth and attract bacteria that cause decay. Let's not forget that citric fruits also have sugar content that can damage teeth. You can protect your teeth by drinking plenty of water after eating citrus fruits. But don't brush your teeth immediately after--you'll end up brushing with the acid. Give it at least a half hour.
- Fruit juices
Drinking fresh fruit juices has a number of benefits: it contains many nutrients like potassium, vitamin C, and phytochemicals, which can help fight cancer and stroke. However, fruit juices can also wear down teeth enamel thanks to its natural acids. The pH levels of fruit juice is actually comparable to white wine and soda.
What's more, fruit juices also contain sugar, which can be harmful to your teeth if they stay in your mouth for long periods (e.g. swishing the juice in your mouth before gulping it down). Smoothies are especially bad because they're concentrated and stick to your teeth.
However, there are a few ways to prevent tooth damage and still enjoy your fruit juice. One approach is to drink with a straw to keep the juice away from your teeth. Another is to drink water immediately after having some juice.
- Peanut butter
According to research by dentist Weston Price on re-mineralising teeth, peanut butter is said to cause tooth decay and remove minerals from the body. It certainly doesn't help that peanut butter sticks to teeth and has plenty of sugar, both of which can damage teeth if it stays in the mouth for long periods. As with other foods that can damage teeth, make sure you brush and floss to prevent any harmful effects.