The Worst Foods for Your Teeth - and How to Avoid Them

The health of your teeth and gums has a direct effect on the health of your entire body. Not only can your dental problems lead to cavities and tooth decay, but they can also cause major health issues like heart disease, arthritis, liver disease, cancer, and more! Here are the worst foods for your teeth, along with simple tips on how to avoid them in order to protect your smile and your overall health.

What is Gum Disease?

Bad teeth from eating candy is a great example of how easily teeth can decay. If you don’t brush your teeth regularly, you could suffer from gingivitis and even periodontal disease. These problems not only make you more susceptible to tooth decay, but they can also lead to other health problems like infections.

What Are the Worst Foods for My Teeth?

It’s best to avoid sticky, sugary foods as much as possible when it comes to maintaining healthy teeth. Sugary treats are a major culprit when it comes to causing cavities, especially on front teeth. It’s also important that you don’t just give in if you have a cavity; making regular trips to your dentist can help you learn how to fight cavities at home with toothpaste and healthy food choices. There are many things that can affect your teeth over time, including bad brushing habits or not going in for regular checkups; maintaining good oral hygiene is important but so is knowing what foods could cause further damage if they don’t get removed immediately.

Processed Meat

A lot of us enjoy a good sandwich or a nice, fatty piece of steak from time to time. But did you know that these types of meat can make your teeth more susceptible to cavity-causing plaque? If you’re looking for more ways to fight cavities, try avoiding processed meats (like sausage, bacon, hot dogs). Instead, opt for leaner cuts of meat—like chicken breast or tuna—or seafood as your main sources of protein.

Sticky Carbohydrates

The worst foods for your teeth are sticky carbohydrates. Sugary snacks like candy, cookies, pastries, soda, and fruit juices stick to your teeth with each bite you take. But it doesn’t end there—those foods are converted into sugars by bacteria in your mouth that stick even more tightly! To minimize plaque buildup on your teeth while snacking on sweets, try drinking water or chewing sugar-free gum between bites.

Refined Sugars

Sugars found in processed foods, like white flour and refined sugars, are some of the worst food for your teeth. Studies have shown that if you eat one or more servings of these foods a day, your chances of getting cavities increases by 25%. If you brush your teeth regularly, but still enjoy eating refined sugars, don’t fret. There are still a few things you can do to help prevent tooth decay—like not drinking sugary drinks with a meal.

Popcorn

Choosing popcorn as a snack might seem like a good idea, but here’s some food for thought: Popcorn can stick to your teeth and collect bacteria, which is especially bad news if you don’t brush your teeth regularly. If you’re going to enjoy some popcorn while watching a movie or a sports game, be sure to brush up afterwards. And if you want a healthier alternative that still satisfies that salty craving, try air-popped corn with melted butter drizzled on top.

Hard Chewing Gum

If you don’t want loose teeth, then make sure you chew your gum slowly. While it may not seem like a big deal, a lot of people tend to eat their chewing gum too quickly, which puts stress on their teeth. Make sure you chew your gum slowly so that you’re actually breaking down food particles instead of just mashing them around. This will reduce wear and tear on your teeth and help prevent cavities in addition to gingivitis and periodontal disease.

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