5 Foods You Didn’t Know Are Bad for Your Teeth

A good oral hygiene routine goes a long way in maintaining a healthy smile. But being mindful of what you eat and drink is just as important.

The foods and drinks that we consume everyday contribute significantly to both the health and appearance of our teeth.

It’s no secret that softdrinks, lollies and ice cream are no good for our teeth. But below, your dentist Leichhardt will be sharing with you 5 foods that are bad for your teeth.

#1. Diet/Sugar-free Softdrinks

We tend to think of diet softdrinks as a healthy option. Unfortunately, this is not the case – not for your overall health and not for your teeth!

Softdrinks and their sugar-free counterparts both cause several damages to our teeth, especially when consumed in big amounts.

Phosphoric acid is known to restore heavy metals to their original lustre. It’s found in regular and diet softdrinks.

If it can break down layers of heavy metals, you can only imagine the destruction it can cause to the soft tooth enamel.

Consuming acidic drinks from time to time, paired with a good dental hygiene routine is fine. But, water, the healthiest choice of drink, should be your go-to beverage.

#2. Popcorn

We like settling for a Netflix binge with freshly popped popcorn. But, it’s important to know the damages that popcorn can do to your teeth and ensure you consume it cautiously.

Corn kernels are HARD. One hard bite can crack or chip your teeth! Their fine, shell-like layers also promote tooth decay because of how easily they become stuck in between your gums and teeth.

Flossing after eating popcorn minimises the damage, and of course, be mindful of those rock-like kernels!

#3. Fruit

While fruit contains a lot of the nutrients that we rely on to keep our immune systems fighting; it’s not all good news. Fruits carry acids and sugars in large amounts which, if left to linger, can damage our tooth enamel.

The bacteria responsible for breaking down the tooth enamel is fuelled by the large amounts of sugars found in fruit. The acid in fruit has also been found to soften the enamel.

Considering our enamel does not regenerate, we need to take extra care of it.

Rinsing your mouth with water after each consumption is a good way to enjoy fruits without damaging your teeth.

#4. Sour Lollies

It’s no surprise that lollies are bad for your teeth. But what can sometimes come as a surprise is that the sour ones are the worse!

The sour varieties contain acids that are harmful to the teeth, and it comes in large amounts.

Lollies are sticky which allows for their remnants to hang around in your mouth, fuelling the tooth decay fire.

At My Local Dentists (previously Leichhardt Marketplace Dental), our dentists recommend eating a square of chocolate than lollies to satisfy your sweet cravings.

Being quicker to swallow and easily washed away with a rinse of water, it’s the better option for your teeth.

#5. Bread and Starches

This one gets the ‘most surprising’ award. Bread and other foods high in starches, like pasta and rice, are not suspected of causing damage to your teeth, well, generally.

Unfortunately, they do! This is because simple carbohydrates are broken down into sugars by our saliva, while chewing.

As we discussed on previously, these sugars create a breeding ground for bacteria in our mouth. This leads to a faster rate of tooth decay.

Leaning towards whole-wheat and more complex carbohydrates like brown bread and sweet potatoes is a good way of preventing these harmful effects.

Optimum Oral Health in Leichhardt

My Local Dentists (previously Leichhardt Marketplace Dental) services and treatments are 100% personalised to you and your personal needs.

Alongside our dentists, the supporting staff at My Local Dentists (previously Leichhardt Marketplace Dental) are extremely talented, dedicated, and experienced.

Working together, we ensure that each of your visit with us is as pleasant as possible.

GAP FREE Promotion for New Patients

We believe prevention is essential to a beautiful and healthy smile, and so we will do everything we can to minimise any barriers to visiting the dentist.

To achieve this, we do not charge a gap payment from any health fund for preventative services, and this includes your six-monthly check-up, scale and cleans, check-up X-rays, intraoral photos, personalised treatment plan and fluoride treatments.

*for new patients only

Call us on (02) 9100 0188 or request your appointment online.

We are located at Shop 48, Leichhardt Marketplace Shopping Centre, 122-138 Flood Street in Leichhardt.