Categories: Health

Eating Habits That are Detrimental to Your Dental Health

Most people think oral hygiene only means having to brush your teeth twice or thrice a day. After all, what else can you possibly do to take care of your teeth and mouth? However, the question is not just what you can do, but also what you should not do.

Let’s start with eating habits. The dismissive attitude towards dental health is the main reason you acquire eating habits that can be detrimental to you. Though the basic dental hygiene is pretty straightforward, it’s easy to develop habits that can negatively affect your dental health.

Munching on ice—crushed or not

Many people are guilty of chewing ice, and you’ve probably done it yourself numerous times. In fact, shaved ice is a popular dessert during the summer.

It may seem pretty harmful when you chew on ice, but eating crushed ice can cause brittleness to the teeth. The brittleness can cause microscopic cracks in your teeth that can eventually lead to bigger problems, such as cracked or chipped tooth. It can also lead to cavities, damage on your tooth enamel, and teeth sensitivity to anything hot or cold.

However, it’s not just on your natural teeth that this habit can be detrimental, as it can also negatively affect any dental works you had like fillings or crowns.

Unless you want to start wearing a tooth implant soon, then it’s best to stop this habit now.

Snacking or drinking anything sugary

Do you end every meal with a satisfying dessert? If yes, then you probably need to start thinking twice about it.

Studies already show that drinking too many sugary drinks and eating too many sweets aid in the buildup of cavities. Sugar produces acids that can dissolve and damage your pearly whites, which can eventually lead to tooth decay. These destructive acids also target the tooth enamel, which serves as a protective finish to your teeth for its long-term health.

If there’s no stopping you from drinking a cola, use straws to minimize the interaction to your teeth. It’s also advised to reduce drinking energy drinks and fruit juices.

To prevent the acid buildup, use fluoride toothpaste when brushing your teeth and drink water after consuming sugary drinks and sweets.

Drinking coffee

Caffeine lovers will be sad to know that their favourite cup of coffee can fasten the destruction of their teeth. It’s not just the sugar in the coffee that badly affects teeth and gums. It can also cause halitosis, tooth erosion, and dry mouth.

The most visible effect of drinking coffee is teeth stains. Coffee aids in the buildup of bacteria on the mouth, leading to the erosion of the teeth and enamel. Once the enamel eroded, the yellowish material underneath it called dentin becomes visible.

If it’s impossible to eliminate coffee from your diet, eat a lot of fruits that contain fibre that cleans the teeth, drink through straws, or brush your teeth right after drinking your daily caffeine intake.

Consuming too much citrus

There’s no denying that fruits are good you. In fact, it’s advisable to drink fruits on a regular basis due to the nutrients it provides to the body. However, it has a side effect on your teeth.

Citrus fruits and juices are highly acidic that can cause erosion of tooth enamel. Among all citrus fruits, grapefruit and lemon are found to be the most acidic.

This doesn’t mean that you must completely avoid eating citrus fruits, but always remember to consume in moderation. There are also fortified orange juices in the market that are already teeth-friendly.

While these eating habits are formed naturally over time, it’s still possible to break them.