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Seven foods that may harm your teeth
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Some food and beverages may cause significant damage to your teeth. (Shutterstock/File)
T
hose wondering why they keep experiencing toothache or cavities should probably do more than brushing their teeth twice a day and using dental floss.
Some food and beverages have been to found to cause significant damage to your teeth. Below is a list to avoid as compiled by kompas.com :
1. Sour candy
Besides sweet candy, sour candy can also damage your teeth. The effect can be even more negative, as it contains a high acid substance that can scrape your tooth enamel.
Moreover, brushing your teeth after eating sour candy will not prevent its damaging effects -- it will actually worsen it. Because if your enamel is already damaged, brushing your teeth will scrape it even more.
Additionally, sour candy generally has a chewy texture that can stick to your teeth without you realizing it, causing plaque that can rot your teeth if not cleaned thoroughly.
Read also: Bad habits that may harm your teeth
2. Soda
Soda contains high sugar levels that are known to be one of the causes of cavities. Other than that, soda can also cause a dry mouth, which is home to harmful bacteria.
Soda such as Coke and other dark-colored drinks can also damage your teeth's original color. Hence, your teeth will look darker and duller.
Brushing your teeth after drinking a soda can also escalate tooth decay, thus it is advised to gargle and drink lots of water to clean the soda from your teeth.
3. Ice cubes
Some people enjoy chewing ice cubes while finishing their iced beverage. This habit is actually bad for your dental health as it can damage your tooth enamel and make your teeth more sensitive or even breaking it.
4. Dried fruit
Dried fruits are not similar to fresh ones. Dried fruits like raisins, apricots and plums have a very sweet taste and sticky texture, causing them to get stuck between your teeth and become food for bacteria.
Make sure to always gargle and drink lots of water after eating any dried fruit. Afterwards, brush your teeth and clean it using dental floss to ensure that you have none stuck between your teeth.
Read also: Five signs of tongue cancer to watch out for
5. Pickles
Many love enjoying pickles while eating a main course; the sour taste of the vinegar is also known to increase the appetite.
But do not take this food lightly as a 2004 study conducted on over 2,000 United Kingdom students found that pickles were the number one cause of toothache compared to other foods.
6. White bread
Do you know that white bread is as harmful as candy for your teeth?
White bread is rich in simple carbohydrates that will be turned into sugar by saliva. When it is stuck between your teeth, it can cause bacteria to grow that leads to cavities.
7. Alcohol
Drinking alcohol can cause your mouth to become dry. It needs saliva to clean itself from the food you are consuming, as well as to protect the soft tissue in your mouth from irritation and infection.
Hence, dry mouth becomes a source of disease as it causes bacteria to grow rapidly, which later cause toothache and other mouth infections. (kes)
