7 Foods That Require Toothbrushing
Most people know that foods such as sticky candies are bad for their teeth. However, some foods you may be eating (or drinking) cause unapparent damage to your teeth and health.
When it's time for a sugary treat, most don't think about our teeth. However, after the sweet pleasure, you may wonder what the sugar on your teeth is doing to your enamel until your next brush. Here are seven common foods that, after drinking or eating, you should brush your teeth as soon as possible—but no sooner than thirty minutes. The foods soften the enamel and brushing before remineralizing removes a small amount of enamel.
Coffee
When you drink coffee straight, it is less damaging to your teeth. However, when you add cream and sugar, it becomes unhealthy. While coffee can stain your teeth, it is not a significant cause of tooth decay unless it is sweetened.
Try drinking your coffee as black as you can while still enjoying it.
Sticky Candy
Cookies, cakes, and ice cream are foods that are great for the taste but bad for the teeth over time. Chocolate and other candy and treats that freely wash off teeth are preferable. It becomes more complicated when the candy is more taffy-like or chewy. These sweets are more challenging to break down, so they remain on and between teeth, causing cavities. Such sweets should be avoided.
White Bread
White bread is another food that can harm your teeth if consumed frequently. This is due to the bread's sticky nature, which, like many starchy foods, will turn into a paste. This paste tends to linger in the spaces between teeth and on the gums. Brush your teeth after consuming white bread to remove any residue.
Dried Fruits
Fresh fruits contain more water than dried fruit, making them less likely to stick to teeth. The sugary juices and pulp are concentrated when dried, making them stickier and more likely to wedge between your teeth.
Soda
Soda contains large amounts of acid and sugar, which can cause tooth enamel to deteriorate. Sodas can also cause a drop in oral pH. Diet sodas should be avoided because they contain more acid than regular soft drinks. Following each serving of soda with water can help to mitigate the effects of the fizzy drink on enamel decay. This will help to neutralize the acidic chemicals, making them less harsh.
Alcohol
The mouth is dried out by alcohol, and it becomes difficult to produce saliva when your mouth is dry. Since saliva helps to remineralize teeth and kill bacteria, this causes teeth to decay slowly. Many types of alcohol contain more sugar than you might expect.
Starchy Foods
Starchy foods like crackers and potato chips are also bad for oral health. When such foods are chewed, they become sticky. This causes them to stick to the gums and between the teeth until they are brushed or flossed away.
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