Choosing the right food, drinks and activities can influence the health of your mouth. Yes, Food and drinks are not the only culprits in damaging your pearly set. There are several activities that are bad for you. There are several practices that you may think normal and harmless. However, dangers on tooth decay increase with these activities. Minimizing the foods, drinks and activities in your life will help maintain healthier teeth and mouth .
Constant snacking
Even if you snack on nuts, or wheat, or fruits, you are still prone to tooth decay. This is because your mouth can only withstand 5 times of acid attacks every day. If you eat frequently, you mouth will be under constant attack of the acid. Limit your food intake within 3 meals a day only and if you do want to snack, then finish it rather than just nibbling at it over time. Always rinse your mouth after or if that is not possible, chew a sugarless gum. Chewing gum will increase the flow of saliva, which in turn has a washing effect of the mouth and teeth.
Herbal Teas
Yes you may think they are healthy but, they can stain your teeth readily especially the fruit-flavored ones. Also they contain acid that can erode the enamel specially the lemon and blackcurrant are the most potent flavors that can damage the teeth enamel. They are actually more damaging than orange juice. The tip is to have the green or black tea instead. The black tea disrupts plaque formation. In fact, a survey in Japan noted that drinking green or black tea reduces cavities more than not drinking at all. This is because green tea and black tea have antioxidants called the catechins to fight the acid-producing bacteria in the mouth.
Sports drinks
Sports drinks have lots of sugar and acids. Not only that, but it is usually drank by athletes who are either in a middle of a game or after a game with their mouths completely dry which gives the bacteria in your mouth a perfect environment to attack the teeth with the sugar and acids from these drinks. Your best bet is drink water.
Eye drops, anti-allergies and pain killers
The saliva is the mouth’s built-in shield against bacteria. Anti-inflammatory drugs, pain killers and antihistamines can reduce the production of saliva. This is called dry mouth. Without this protection of saliva, your mouth and everything in it are prone to bacterial attacks.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy can increase risk of gingivitis, inflammation of the gums. A lot of pregnant women have developed this inflammation. The reason behind this would be the increased circulation of blood because of the increased levels of progesterone and estrogen. To keep your gums healthy, bush gently three times every day and floss at least once if not twice a day.
Brushing after sweets
Sweets like candies and chocolates can soften the teeth’s enamel again due to the acidic nature. If you brush right away, you will only remove the softened layer leaving the teeth more prone to damage. Rinse with water instead and wait for half an hour before you brush. Excessive brushing can also damage the enamel and your gums will regress if you use hard bristled tooth brush.
Swimming
Did you ever think that swimming can damage your teeth? The fact is, 66% of swimmers suffer from damaged teeth because of the chlorine present in the water. Chlorine erodes teeth because of its acidic pH. What happens is that the acid over time will erode the enamel of the teeth. Try to keep your mouth closed while swimming and don’t brush your teeth right after swimming due to the enamel may have gotten softer due to the acids.
White wine
Yes, as we all know red wine stains teeth. So what is wrong with white wine? The catch is, white wine is more acidic and ca erode teeth. Especially if you just sip on it for a while without eating anything. It also makes the teeth more susceptible to stain when you have other drinks after it. So if you enjoy having white wine, then either have it with a meal or eat some cheese after it to neutralize the acids.
Teeth Whitening
Some over the counter teeth whitening products may erode the enamel due to containing acids. Also they may damage the gums due to one-size fit all trays which allow the bleaching gels to leak out onto the gingiva and cause damage. Get your teeth whitening done by your dentist. They will assure the safety of the material they use, as well as a custom tray that is specifically fitted for your teeth.
Television and Video Games
Studies have shown that people who watch TV or play video games have a higher chance of developing tooth decay due to binging on snacks, especially the unhealthy ones.
There are a lot of things that you are not aware of their damaging effect on the mouth. To add up to the mentioned above, opening a plastic bottle with your teeth, salad dressing and certain diseases like diabetes are also big contributors for developing tooth decay. You have to be wise to keep your gums pink and your pearly whites cavity free.
By: Ladan Zinati
Andrew Williamson
January 16, 2014Wow thank you for the article. I never knew that even activities such as swimming could damage teeth, as well as brushing right after eating sweets. I always thought that was the way to go to get the sugar off my teeth but I will rinse with water and wait the half hour like suggested. Even the wine tips are a great help, thanks again.
admin
January 18, 2014My pleasure:) I am glad you learned some great helpful tips in keeping your teeth healthy.
jennifer
January 16, 2014Excellent article with a great deal of very good information. We all need to pay close attention to our diets as well as to activities that are detrimental to our health.
admin
January 18, 2014Hi Jennifer. Thank you:)
ellesgue
January 16, 2014This article is very informative and contained quite a few surprises. Like brushing teeth after eating sweets is something I would’ve thought to be a good thing, but as it turns out, it’s a bad practice. I think I’ll be sharing this post to my friends as I’m sure they’ll find it interesting too.
admin
January 18, 2014Ellesgue, thanks for visiting my blog and reading this post. Yes, most people would think that you should brush your teeth right away after eating sweets! Also thatnks for shring with your friends.
Ana B.
January 16, 2014This article is really helpful for me as I’ve been on a mission to find ways to prevent enamel erosion and cavities. I didn’t know that white wine was so bad for your teeth; thanks for the info!
admin
January 18, 2014You are very welcome Ana. Glad to be of help:)
Robert
January 16, 2014Even unhealthy foods can be alright in moderation. Too much of them, though, and dental hygiene really goes out the window.
admin
January 18, 2014Very True Robert.
John
January 17, 2014Thank you for taking the time to help me become more proactive in keeping my teeth healthy. I had no idea that swimming could damage my teeth but it does make sense. I knew that coffee was bad for stains but did not know that white wine is also bad for my smile.
admin
January 18, 2014Hi John. You are very welcome. Yes, there are something that one would not think that it would be unhealthy for their teeth. I am glad I was a help to you to discover these:)
Emily
January 22, 2014Thanks for telling me that swimming hurts your teeth. I didn’t know :P. Is there any other ways to prevent this? Im not very good at keeping my mouth shut when swimming :) Thanks for reading.
admin
January 22, 2014Emily, the best would be to keep your mouth closed. Or maybe wear a protective mouth peice!
Titima
January 27, 2014Hi, I never know that swimming hurts our teeth , and I am big drinker of Moroccan tea too ,for that I have a yellow teeth, good article ,I must to take care to my food for have a healthy teeth .
admin
January 29, 2014Titima, hope you were able to get a lot out of my article:)
Amanda
January 30, 2014Wow, I never realized how many of these things could harm your teeth. I drink a herbal tea almost everyday, I will definitely need to cut back on that. Thanks for the great information!
admin
February 2, 2014Amanda, you are very welcome. You are right, most of these are every day things that we don’t even think about!
Diana Santos
February 6, 2014This article is really informative! I didn’t know swimming and tooth whitening could ruin your teeth. I would have never expected. Thank you for your information and next time I will be more aware.
admin
February 8, 2014Diana, you are very welcome.
A Holiday’s Survival Guide for Your Smile | St. James Dental Group
April 22, 2015[…] an artificial sweetener that can help prevent tooth decay. And finally, try to mix up your snacks. If you’re eating a sugary treat, try to also eat a bit of cheese (or a similar protein) as […]