Can My Diet Affect My Oral Health?
You may believe that the food you’re eating isn’t bad for you, but certain foods and drinks can affect your teeth more than you think. If your diet isn’t great then it might be time to switch things up – not just to improve your physical health, but to improve your oral health, too. Here at Zero Seven dental practice in Farringdon, London, we want to share our advice on what to avoid if you want to keep your teeth happy.
Sugary sweets and chewy candy
It’s hardly surprising that sweets are bad for your teeth. They contain high amounts of sugar, and because they are sticky and chewy, there’s a higher chance of bits getting stuck in-between your teeth and staying there. Leaving food to decay in your mouth (especially when combined with not brushing and flossing correctly) will start to cause the production of plaque. The bacterium in plaque uses sugar to produce acids that attack your enamel. Overall, sweets just aren’t good for your teeth – avoid the nickname ‘sweet tooth’ and eat something healthy instead. If you want advice on what to eat and what to avoid, book in for a consultation with our dentist here in Farringdon.
Ice isn’t nice!
You may be wondering how ice – being made of water – could possibly be bad for your teeth. Well, it’s not what the ice is made up of that makes it bad for your teeth – it’s the form. Ice is solid and crunchy; made for chilling drinks, not chewing on! Crunching ice with your teeth applies pressure to your teeth that shouldn’t be applied, and can lead to cracking and damaging the teeth’s enamel. Break this bad habit and enjoy water in its liquid form!
Drinks that stain
You may be someone that loves a good cup of tea in the morning, some coffee while you work and a glass of wine before bed. But this is a definite no if you wish to keep your teeth looking youthful! Worse still, some people can’t resist adding spoonfuls of sugar to their coffee and tea. In this case, not only is the constant consumption of these drinks staining their teeth, the sugar is also damaging the surface of the teeth too. If you do consume these types of drinks, it may be a good idea to keep the intake to an appropriate amount, drink plenty of water and keep the sugar add-ons to a minimum.
When consuming anything that may be harmful to the teeth, it’s important to brush and floss frequently and correctly to keep your teeth happy and healthy. For advice on your oral health, speak to your dentist in Farringdon today. Here at Zero Seven Dental Practice, Clerkenwell, we provide empathetic and confidential care to all of our patients. Enquire today by calling us on 020 7253 7667 or contact us on our website.
