A healthy smile begins with a healthy foundation. Eating a balanced diet, brushing at least twice a day and flossing at least once, along with keeping regular professional dental checkups and cleanings will help to build a healthy smile. Certain foods are better for your teeth than others, and today we would like to share some details about which foods to avoid if you want to preserve your pearly whites.
— If you regularly consume sticky or chewy foods, your teeth and gums may pay the price. Why? because they will linger long after you eat them, causing a bacterial film to build up (plaque) which erodes tooth enamel and harms gum tissue. Avoid or limit your consumption of chewy caramels or candy apples, sugar-filled chewing gum, and dried fruits.
— Do you enjoy citrus fruit and savory tomato sauce? The acid levels in these foods can harm your smile. If you are going to consume them, try rinsing thoroughly with water afterward to limit contact on the teeth.
— Biting into hard foods is always a problem, especially as you age. If you love a fresh corn on the cob in the summer season or popcorn at the movies, you can try to cut the corn off the cob before eating, and switching from popcorn to a snack that doesn’t leave hard kernels to chip your teeth!
— Sugar…who doesn’t love a nice cupcake to celebrate, or ice cream in the summer and a sweet smoothie to start the day? Limiting your sugar consumption will go a long way to preventing dental erosion, and if you do partake of these, have them with a meal rather than a snack, and cleaning your teeth right afterward. Drinking sweet (or acidic) beverages through a straw helps limit contact on your pearly whites.
You can definitely enjoy some of these on special occasions with proper cleaning afterward, but try to avoid having them regularly. Your teeth will reward you with a healthier smile! If you would like to know more or schedule a visit with your dentist, please call our Wendy Quiroz, DDS team at 559-299-9211. Dr. Kenneth Klassen and Dr. Wendy Quiroz in Clovis, California, look forward to helping you maintain a smile you can be proud of!