Most people know about the foods and drinks most commonly called out as being bad for your teeth. These include soda, red wine, and coffee, all of which will stain teeth and can erode your enamel over time, causing cavities, tooth decay, and other dental health problems.
But there are plenty of other foods and drinks that are bad for your teeth, though you might not know them as such. That’s why in this week’s blog, we’ll talk about foods and drinks that are less commonly known as being bad for your teeth. The more you know, the better you can take care of your teeth!
What foods and drinks are bad for your teeth?
4 Foods and Drinks You Didn’t Know Were Bad for Teeth
Dried Fruit
Lots of people enjoy dried fruit as a nice healthy snack. And while it’s true that dried fruit is certainly healthier than chips or pretzels, it comes with a caveat. Dried fruit has a lot of non-cellulose fiber in it. This fiber traps the sugar in the fruit on your teeth, where it can cause cavities.
So what can you do if you like dried fruit? Continue to eat it, just make sure to floss and brush after to remove any dried fruit that sticks to your teeth.
On a related note, those chewable vitamins that have the consistency of a gummy bear are bad for your teeth in a similar way as dried fruit. The vitamins use sugar to create that sticky texture, which then sticks to your teeth. Instead of chewables, take pill vitamins instead.
White Wine
White wine is actually just as bad for your teeth as red wine. While red wine might not directly stain your teeth like red wine does, the acid in white wine wears away enamel, which allows your teeth to be stained by other items.
BBQ Sauce
Mmm, there’s nothing like a summer barbeque. However, that barbeque sauce is loaded with sugar. This is why it tastes so good! But, that sugar’s no good for your teeth. Make sure you rinse your mouth out with water after you eat barbeque, or brush if possible.
Juice
While juice is usually thought of as a healthier drink, it also has as much sugar in it as soda. Sip through a straw to reduce the amount that gets on your teeth, and rinse with water after, and again brush if possible.
A Note About Brushing After Eating/Drinking
It’s good to brush your teeth after eating/drinking sugary items. But you should wait to brush until about an hour after you’ve eaten/drank. Why? Because the sugars will soften your enamel for a brief period immediately after you eat/drink. If you brush when the enamel is soft, you could cause even more damage to your teeth. So, wait for an hour after you eat or drink to brush your teeth.
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