When it comes to keeping your teeth healthy, it really matters what you put in your mouth. A lot of what we eat can have a big impact on our dental health. If you want to keep your teeth in the best possible health, you should avoid these foods and drinks.

Soda

Soda is loaded with sugar and completely empty of any nutritional content. When you drink soda, the liquid literally coats your teeth in sugar. According to the American Dental Association, dietary acids, such as in soft drinks, are likely one of the major contributing factors to dental erosion. It's also important to note that when most people drink soda, they aren't immediately brushing their teeth afterward. This means that the sugar and dietary acid stay on the teeth for long periods of time, which is a direct contributor to tooth decay.

Citrus

Large amounts of citrus can also be detrimental to your teeth. The acid found in citrus foods and drinks eats away at the enamel of the teeth. Although many citrus foods are healthy for you, they need to be eaten in moderation. Citrus juices are not recommended as they are higher in sugar content and provide less nutritional value than fruit. If you already have weak enamel on your teeth, you may need to avoid citrus altogether.

Gummy Candy

Gummy candies are not good for your teeth as the substance sticks to the teeth and is difficult to remove. This also applies to gummy vitamins. Although vitamins will have less sugar than regular gummy candy, the substance still sticks to teeth. It's best to avoid gummy candies or vitamins. If you do use gummy vitamins, be sure to brush your teeth thoroughly right after taking them.

Potato Chips

Often, when we think of foods or drinks that are bad for our teeth, we think of sweet stuff. Potato chips may not have a high sugar content, but they are very starchy. When starch is left on teeth for any amount of time, it turns into sugar. This sugar then starts the tooth decay process. It's best to avoid potato chips since they aren't considered a healthy snack anyway and contribute to tooth decay.

If you'd like to learn more about dental health or are looking for a dentist near you, please contact us at Pampered Dental today. We are here for your dental needs.