5 Foods That'll Mess Up Your Teeth Faster Than Others

1. Citrus Fruits

What would summer be without lemonade? Where dental health is concerned, a summer without lemonade might just mean a summer of stronger tooth enamel because,

The citric acid and fruits like lemons, limes, grapefruit, and the like break down and destroy tooth enamel. Hard to believe? 

Did you know that some citrus fruit juices are actually used as cleaning agents because the citric acid concentration is so high it can literally break down residue and grime such as calcium deposits? Imagine what the same juice can do to your tooth enamel.

2. Sticky Sweets

Avoiding the chocolate and opting for the gummy bears because you've heard they are better for your body? Not according to your mouth.

Chocolate melts quickly and it's a rare occasion that you are going to have leftover chocolate in between your teeth or along your gum line unless you've eaten a brownie or something like that.

Eating chocolates that melt is actually a better option for your teeth. Why? Those gummy and sticky candies hang around long after you've swallowed the last bite. And all the time those morsels are stuck to your teeth, they're eating away at your enamel.

Choose the melt-away chocolates over the gummy or sticky candies and your enamel will thank you.

3. Vitamins and Sports Drinks

And here you thought by taking your vitamins you were doing yourself a favor. You might be, but not if they're chewable.

Chewable vitamins often contain high amounts of citric acid and their consistency is such that tiny morsels are often left between the teeth where they work at destroying tooth enamel until you remove them by brushing

Similarly, sports drinks (even vitamin waters) contain so much citric acid and sugar that you may as well soak your teeth in candy and lemon juice. Opt for regular water with electrolytes and, if possible, take tablets for your vitamins.

4. Dried Fruits

So you thought that by eating dried fruits you were choosing a healthy snack, right? Unfortunately, that's not the case, especially where your teeth are concerned.

Fruit already has a decent amount of sugar right from the tree or vine but that sugar concentration skyrockets when the fruit is dried.

Add to that the fact that all the water is taken out of the fruit during the dehydration process and you've got a gummy, dry, sugar-packed food that is just waiting to cling to your teeth and hang around for awhile, destroying enamel in the process.

To make matters worse, dried fruit has high concentrations of cellulose fibers. These fibers cannot be broken down with water and act like cement mix to the sugar found in the fruit. This leads to sugar molecules and enamel-eroding acids being plastered to your tooth.

Even if you brush well and floss, these fibers and sugars are extremely difficult to remove. You would be better off eating a chocolate bar than eating dried fruit.

5. Starches

Bread, pasta, croutons, and potatoes are all lovely additions to a meal but they are an unwelcomed source of sugar and enamel-destroying ingredients to your teeth. High-starch foods are turned into sugar, and this process starts almost immediately upon the food entering your mouth.

Saliva begins to break down the food into sugars and usable energy for your body. Stuck between your teeth, these morsels along with your saliva and accompanying bacteria turn those culinary delights into sugary warriors that go to battle with your teeth, deteriorating enamel in the process.

So what do you do if pasta, lemonade, sports drinks, and candy are off limits?

Not to worry; these foods are all safe if you eat them in moderation. However, even in moderation they can still cause damage to your enamel. A good way to combat this is to rinse your mouth with water after eating or consuming these foods.

This will help to dislodge the morsels stuck between your teeth and will help to rinse off the outer layer of your teeth.

In addition, do not under any circumstances brush your teeth right after eating these foods. It seems very counterproductive, but the logic behind it is valid.

If you drink lemonade and then immediately brush your teeth, you're basically aiding the lemonade in removing your enamel. Instead, rinse your mouth out with water, wait about a half an hour to an hour, and then brush. It will be much safer for your teeth.

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