We know sugar causes our teeth to decay but sour lollies are among the worst kind! They are so high in sugar AND are highly acidic. Make sour lollies a VERY rare treat if you have to have them at all. While not as bad as soft drinks, energy drinks and some alcohols, fruit juice deserves a special mention.
Sugary food and drinks are one of the main causes of tooth decay. Acid is produced when the bacteria in your mouth break down the sugar. The acid dissolves the tooth surface, which is the first stage of tooth decay.
Foods high in acid wear away enamel and leave teeth less protected. The top culprits include hard sugar candies, coffee, citrus fruits -- like lemons, oranges, and grapefruits -- and soda.
Harmful Acidic Foods and Beverages
Foods and drinks with high acidic levels are actually worse for your teeth than sugar. This is why diet sodas can actually be worse for your teeth than the regular versions. The most common acids in the average diet are carbonic, citric, and phosphoric.
Fruits with high levels of Vitamin C and antioxidants can help neutralize the bacteria in your mouth. Apples, strawberries, cranberries, kiwis, and oranges are all good providers of these healthy teeth ingredients.
every time we eat or drink something that contains sugar or starches, bacteria in our mouth use the sugar and starch to produce acids. These acids begin to eat away at the tooth's enamel.
Cavities that develop quickly and unexpectedly may be the result of: Sudden Dietary Changes: You might have changed your diet in some way, including drinking more soda, adding more sugar to your coffee, eating more starchy or acidic foods, or consuming more sweets.
Tooth erosion happens when acids wear away the enamel on teeth. Enamel erosion can be caused by the following: Having too many soft drinks, which have lots of phosphoric and citric acids. Bacteria in your mouth thrive on sugar, and they make acids that can eat away at enamel.
In particular, watch out for food acids 330 (citric acid), 331 (sodium citrate), and 338 (phosphoric acid) which are especially bad for teeth.
Most tooth decay is caused by a particular strain of bacteria called Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans). While 500-600 different kinds of bacteria thrive on mucus and food remnants in the mouth, S.
Plaque contains millions of bacteria that attack the teeth enamel. Repeated attacks will ultimately wear away and weaken the enamel. The thing is, detectable plaque can form on undisturbed teeth in as little as 12 hours. This is why you need to brush and floss at least twice a day.
How Does Coffee Harm Your Teeth? Despite the health benefits, drinking too much coffee can leave a lasting mark on your smile. In fact, research shows it can increase your risk of cavities because it's acidic, which can erode your enamel. As your enamel becomes thinner, it can also lead to tooth sensitivity.
Meat, eggs, tofu, beans, nuts and green, leafy vegetables are all good sources of protein. Calcium is great for increasing the strength of your bones and teeth. Milk, cheese and other dairy products are a great source but if you're lactose intolerant, soy milk is a good alternative. Sesame seeds are also calcium rich.
Drinking too much of liquids that are high in acid, like coffee, can weaken your enamel. Your enamel is what protects your teeth, so if it is weakened or wears away, then your teeth become more vulnerable to decay.
Even though they're good for you, most fruits like bananas have high sugar content. Just like sugar from any other source, this sugar can contribute to tooth decay, as bacteria in your child's mouth will consume it and excrete acid, which may cause cavities over time.
Apples and other fruits are good for your health as part of a healthy balanced diet. However Apples and other citrous fruits do contain high acidity levels which can cause damage to your teeth, such as erosion (if caution is not taken).
While the enamel can't grow back, it can be remineralized with special tooth repair kits. Certain toothpastes and dental products push calcium and phosphates back into the teeth and harden the enamel. Fluoride plays a powerful role by capturing the calcium and phosphates that acids draw out of the teeth.