Achieving Good Dental Health Can Be Easier than You Think

Acids Can Destroy Your Teeth

You want to make sure you always do what you can to keep your teeth in the best condition. While you may be diligent about brushing and flossing, there is a lot more to taking care of your teeth than making sure you properly clean them. A very important part of caring for your teeth is to be sure you know what foods to stay away from due to them causing the most damage to your teeth. Foods that are high in acids are very bad for your dental health and here is some information on acidic foods and your oral health:

How acidic foods affect your teeth

When you drink something high in acidic levels or consume foods that are, those acids can erode the enamel of your teeth. The enamel is the hard-outer shell; it's the outermost material that your teeth have on them. The enamel protects your teeth from damage and it also helps to give your teeth their visible coloring. This is why people who are lacking a proper amount of enamel have darker colored teeth. A lack of enamel also leaves you more susceptible to problems like tooth decay, tooth injuries, fractures, chips and more.

One of the problems with acidic drinks and foods is they can often seem harmless. This means you may not feel like you need to brush or rinse at any point after consuming them. This will allow the acids to remain on the surfaces of your teeth for a long period of time where it can do plenty of damage before you finally get around to brushing.

Some examples of foods and drinks to watch out for when it comes to a high acidic level

When it comes to foods and drinks that have higher amounts of acids in them, it can't always be easy to know. Some foods you would never suspect to be high in acids can actually be very high. A few of the foods that may really surprise you with their acidic count would be tomatoes, pickles and coffee. There are other acidic foods and drinks that are a bit more obvious and a few examples of these include soda, citrus fruits and alcohol.

Ways to neutralize the acids

If you have consumed acidic foods or drinks while you are out and about, there are ways you can neutralize it to decrease the amount of damage the acids can do to your teeth. You can eat a piece of cheese or drink a glass of milk. Dairy products are great at neutralizing the acids. You can also chew some sugarless gum which will increase your saliva production; this also helps neutralize the acids. Drinking plenty of water also helps by rinsing those acids down so they are off your teeth.

For more information, contact companies like Four Corners Dental Group.


Share