Everything that goes through your mouth and down your esophagus is bound to affect your teeth. You can benefit your teeth or cause their decay due to these foods. To ensure that you flaunt natural and healthy pearly whites forever, avoid the following bad foods and consume more of the good ones.

5 Things You Should Eliminate from Your Diet

There are many things you consume daily only to end up damaging your teeth, but the following five are the worst.

1. Soft Drinks – Even sugar-free drinks can affect your teeth since their phosphoric and citric acid content cause dental erosion quickly. So cut down or completely stop drinking soda.
2. Hard, Chewy and Sticky Candy – Candy will stick to your teeth, feeding the plaque already there and further causing tooth decay.
3. Dried Fruits – Sweet and sticky in nature, these contain non-soluble cellulose fiber which traps sugar on your teeth and ultimately leads to tooth decay.
4. Lemon and Citrus Fruits – Sour fruits that are very acidic can cause dental erosion, acid reflux, and dry mouth. All of these will affect your health as well as your teeth in the long run.
5. Biscuits – Starchy foods or those made from white flour are packed with simple carbs. The carbs don’t leave your mouth quickly, which leads to more bacteria buildup and ultimately tooth decay and bad breath.

In short, anything sugar, acidic, starchy, sticky or mouth-drying is bound to cause tooth decay and costly dentist visits.

5 Edibles to Consume More Of

If you have more of the following five, your teeth will grow stronger and your dentist will consider you the perfect patient (as long as you brush and floss as well!).

1. Water – Water is very important for the production of saliva. It also helps both the teeth and gums to heal while rinsing foods and sugar drinks from between them. So, drink more than the eight glasses of water recommended by doctors worldwide.
2. Eggs and Fish – Eggs and fatty fish contain phosphorus, a chemical that promotes the formation of tooth enamel. Fish also provides your body with vitamin D, which allows your body to effectively absorb calcium.
3. Nuts – Nuts like walnuts, almonds and cashews are packed with fiber, folic acid, iron, zinc, potassium, and vitamins. Some can stimulate saliva production and even cleanse your mouth when chewed.
4. Leafy Greens – Spinach and other leafy greens force you to chew for long and scrub your teeth in the process. They also contain phytochemicals which are effective in fighting bacteria as well as calcium.
5. Milk – Your mother was right; milk is very important for healthy teeth. Lactose, which is the least harmful form of sugar, will provide you with energy as well as a rich dose of calcium.

In addition to these foods and good oral hygiene practices, you should always book regular appointments with your dentist. Preventative dentistry will ensure that you keep your natural teeth for years to come. So stop by any of our Dr. Dental clinics and get your teeth checked today.