The best remedy for a beautiful smile is prevention! And although in the arsenal of a dentist there are fillings, crowns and professional procedures for dental health, proper nutrition is primarily intended to avoid caries. Along with sweets, which have been proven to play a role in tooth decay, there are foods that seem harmless and even healthy.
International Dentist Day, let's talk about how to recognize imaginary "friends" of the dentition and what to do so that your favorite food does not spoil your smile.
Foods high in acids
Sour foods - citrus fruits, pickled tomatoes and cucumbers, canned fruits, alcoholic beverages, kvass can be extremely dangerous for dental health. The acids they contain erode the enamel, causing tooth damage and tooth decay. Weakened enamel can become a source of toothache, tooth sensitivity problems and discoloration.
In contrast, foods that have a low acid content - these are bananas, avocados, broccoli, vegetable oil, eggs and vegetables. It is advisable to include them in a meal in which acidic foods appear.
Did you know?
Studies conducted in 2008 showed that the most dangerous types of juices are lemon and grapefruit, since they cause the most damage to the enamel of the teeth. Other studies have shown that eating pickles more than once a day increased the risk of tooth wear by 85%. Think about it!
Sweet desserts and drinks
Sugar is an implacable enemy of dental health, but it's important to know why. Bad bacteria in the mouth feed on sugar, and their vital activity leads to negative consequences. “The harmful microflora metabolizes sugar into acid, which dissolves the protective layer of tooth enamel and thereby provokes tooth decay,” says dentist Matthew Messina.
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Examples of foods high in sugar are candy, jams, jellies, pastries and cakes, ice cream, and soda. To minimize their health risks, brush your teeth after eating, or at least rinse your mouth.
On a note
some carbonated drinks are even more dangerous than sugar. Many of them, including dietary ones (for example, "Pepsi" and "Coca-Cola"), contain citric and phosphoric acids, which, with frequent use, help dissolve tooth enamel. If you can't go without sugary soda, at least drink it with meals, not afterwards, thus shortening the time your teeth are exposed to acids.
Sticky Chewable Products
Eating these foods during the day without being able to rinse their mouths or brush their teeth is a big mistake. “Sweet and sour gummies are a triple blow to the teeth. In addition to the fact that they contain sugar and acids, their residues can “hide” in the teeth gaps (sticking to the teeth) and stay there until the next brushing of the teeth to activate the bacteria in the oral cavity,”warns Dr. Matthew Messina.
It should always be borne in mind that food debris in the mouth is a food paradise for bacteria. The result of the "feast" is the production of more acid than usual, which is fraught with damage to the teeth. It is very important to brush your teeth as soon as possible after eating sticky foods and be sure to floss to better clean your mouth.
Did you know?
As an alternative to sweets, nutritionists recommend dried fruits - tasty and healthy! But when viewed from a dental health standpoint, they are just as harmful as gummies. Most dried fruits are sticky and contain a lot of natural sugars.
Flour products and refined carbohydrates
Refined carbohydrates in the diet are also not welcomed by dentists. When consumed, they pose the same threat as sweet desserts.
For example, many starchy foods, including white bread, potatoes, and pasta, can get stuck in the gaps between your teeth and stay there for long periods of time contributing to the production of acid by harmful bacteria. In addition, it should be borne in mind that as a result of the enzymatic breakdown of starch, maltose is formed - "malt sugar", which "plays into the hands" of bacteria.
Fact
you love crackers and consume them in moderation, there is no cause for concern - dentists are sure. Careful oral hygiene compensates for the risks.
Foods that cause dry mouth
The best protection against caries has already been created by nature. This is saliva. The liquid substance prevents food from sticking to teeth, washes away plaque, can prevent gum disease and even repair minor superficial carious defects.
When a person feels dry mouth, that is, salivation is impaired, all these processes are sluggish, which is fraught with diseases of the gums and teeth. Therefore, food that provokes dry mouth should be consumed in dosage. And, of course, drink water at the first symptoms of thirst.
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Dentists classify strong tea and coffee, energy drinks, alcohol, and some medicines as products that provoke dry mouth (side effect is usually indicated in the annotation).
On a note
They compared the pH levels of three popular types of drinks - energy drinks, sports drinks, and carbonated drinks. It turned out that the most dangerous for dental health are energy drinks.
Hard and tough food
Some people suffer from the unhealthy habit of chewing on solid food, such as biting hard candy or ice cubes. Usually, tooth enamel copes with such a load, but there is always a danger of damage to it, as well as breaking off of a part of the tooth and loss of the placed fillings. To prevent tooth decay, this habit should be abandoned.
Fact
atologists warn: going to the cinema can be overshadowed by dental problems! Doctors have recorded cases when half-baked popcorn caused damage to the enamel and chipped part of the tooth. Be careful when choosing food for pleasure!
Coloring food
Along with products that negatively affect dental health, there are those that spoil the beauty of a smile. First of all, this applies to strong black tea and coffee, red wine, tomatoes and sauces from it, some spices, beets, carrots and most berries and fruits. To minimize the damage these foods can cause, you should rinse your mouth after eating them.
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On a note
who thinks that red wine can undermine dental health. Firstly, it causes dry mouth, secondly, it contains a lot of sugar, and thirdly, it can stain teeth. But don't think that dry white wine is better! White wines tend to be more acidic, which is fraught with the destruction of tooth enamel.
5 rules to preserve the beauty of your smile
- Stick to 4-5 meals a day and get rid of the habit of constantly chewing something. There must be sufficient breaks between meals.
- To minimize the potential harm to your favorite foods, try to consume them as part of complex meals, rather than in pure form.
- Use a straw when drinking acidic drinks to minimize contact with your teeth.
- If possible, rinse your mouth after each snack and drink plenty of clean water throughout the day.
- Always brush your teeth after eating. But remember to wait 20 minutes if you have been consuming foods with a high acid content, otherwise subsequent brushing will only weaken the tooth enamel.
Expert commentary
Tagirovna Khvatova, head of the dental department of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "National Medical Research Center of Preventive Medicine", dentist-therapist, doctor of the highest category
Do you care about your health? Do you drink fruit juices, mineral water, and have replaced your usual sweets with dried fruits, nuts and cereal bars? A good step towards maintaining health! However, not everything is so simple here either. Let's try to figure out what's wrong.
Sparkling water
Sweet soda, containing sugar and various sweeteners, citric acid and other additives (including artificial ones), have a bad effect not only on the figure, but also on your teeth, gradually destroying the enamel. And if at the same time you have caries, even in the very initial stages, carbonated drinks with sugar will provoke its further development.
As for the mineral carbonated water, presented in our stores in the widest range, its undoubted advantage is the absence of sugar in the composition and a large amount of minerals useful for the body. However, you should not abuse it either - both from the point of view of its effect on the body as a whole (especially in the presence of specific diseases), and from the point of view of its effect on the teeth. The carbon dioxide contained in the mineral water also has a bad effect on the enamel of the teeth, making it more sensitive and weak, making the teeth more sensitive to cold or hot food, and provoking caries. Therefore, it is better to choose non-carbonated "mineral water". But if you really want to "water with gas", it is better to drink it through a straw. But immediately after using it, do not rush to brush your teeth: the mechanical effect of a toothbrush on enamel washed with soda can cause additional harm to your teeth.
Fruits and natural juices
Fruits in general are good for our body, since along with vitamins they contain a large amount of fiber. As for freshly squeezed juices, their positive effect on the body is ambiguous, and packaged juices, as a rule, contain sugar. Which makes them not very good for the teeth. Especially when it comes to citruses, cherries, and juices that are too sour or too sweet. The natural acids found in fruits and sugars also negatively affect the enamel of the teeth, increasing their sensitivity and vulnerability.
Sweets (lollipops, toffee)
The most harmful to dental health are caramels, gummies and hard candies. First, they contain a high amount of sugar, the dangers of which we have already mentioned. Here, the destructive effect of sugar on the teeth is accompanied and intensified by the mechanical effect associated with chewing such candies. The smallest pieces of candy either get stuck in the natural irregularities of the teeth, stick to them, and when trying to remove them, they provoke microcracks and other injuries to the enamel.
The least harm to our teeth is caused by candies that will stay in the mouth for a minimum amount of time - medium soft, quick to chew (and intended for it!). Yes Yes! Gnawing on a sucking candy, for example, means doubling the harm from such a candy. And toffee sticking to the tooth, where there is already caries, is also doubly harmful.
Nuts, seeds, dried fruits
These treats are of course healthier than candy. But they also pose some danger to the teeth. The smallest particles of nuts fill the natural dimples on the surface of the chewing teeth, adhere to the inside of the incisors and molar teeth.
It is worth paying close attention to the nuts, so as not to "put on the tooth" a piece of shell accidentally found along with the kernel. In this case, there is a risk not only to spoil the enamel, but also to break the tooth. As for sunflower and pumpkin seeds, they also pose a risk of mechanical damage to the teeth. Therefore, it is better to give up the habit of "husking" them, choosing already peeled ones.
Dried fruits can sometimes be hard enough to chew and can also injure teeth. Therefore, it is better to cook compotes from them without sugar or decoctions.
Muesli, tough cereal bars
Cereal flakes need to be chewed thoroughly and they often stick to the teeth as well. Nuts and sugar are often included in these diet bars. And these seemingly dietary snacks can also harm the health of your teeth.
Ice cream and popsicles
When they are used, the effect on the teeth is the same as when using soda, fruits and candies, but it is also complemented by thermal effects. If you drink cold ice cream, for example, hot coffee, the damage to tooth enamel is further enhanced by the sharp temperature drop. However, the combination of sweet soda with ice cream is just as unhealthy.
Bread, pasta, potatoes
The best "supporters" of tooth decay are foods high in fast carbohydrates. It is these products that are an excellent breeding ground for microbes that provoke the development of caries. In addition, these foods are high in starch content. Saliva converts starch into simple sugars that are harmful to the teeth.
Of course, we don't always manage to eat the "right" food to keep our teeth healthy. But simple rules can still reduce the risk. Do not overuse the listed foods and drinks, follow the simple rules of their use and oral hygiene. And most importantly, visit your dentist regularly!
Expert commentary
Shynkarenko, orthopedic dentist, specialist in aesthetic dentistry
In the endless stream of bloggers and culinary Instagram pages, it is sometimes difficult to determine which food is really healthy and will not cause consequences in the form of obesity or diabetes. Plus, sometimes it is simply impossible to distinguish competent marketing from reliable facts backed by science.
Let's analyze on our fingers, or rather on products, what will really benefit and what will not!
In the diet of a person focused on a healthy diet, there should always be meat and fish, as the main source of protein and microelements, useful both for the teeth and for the whole body as a whole. Therefore, veganism and vegetarianism are not suitable for us, because a person who deliberately systematically lacks the substances necessary for the proper functioning of the body must be aware that this cannot be beneficial for health.
The basis of the energy reserve in the body is long carbohydrates, which we can mainly get from cereals! All grains are healthy except white rice, which is mostly a fast carbohydrate. And I give the leading place to buckwheat, because how much vitamins and microelements it contains is not contained in almost any product. This is superfood!
Calcium is very important for dental health, which is found in large quantities in dairy products - cottage cheese, milk, hard cheeses.
The main enemy of dental health is fast carbohydrates. It is they that are a favorable environment for the life of microorganisms and the development of caries. It is mostly sweet and starchy. Therefore, as far as possible, this should be abandoned. Your body will thank you!
Be healthy, eat right and watch your teeth!
Expert commentary
icle-text-tag href = "/ person / shipkov-vladimir /" class = "j-article-text-tag j-article-text-tag-person biqpf-autotag"> em> Vladimir Shipkov, chief physician of the dental clinic
Often people start to think about dental health only when there is severe pain, caries or inflammation develops. However, all of this can be avoided by eating properly.
One of the most "damaging" foods for teeth is carbonated drinks. Sugar, acids, dyes damage the enamel, increasing the sensitivity of the teeth. At the same time, soda completely washes the oral cavity, affecting all teeth. Therefore, if you are not ready to give up carbonated drinks, then I advise you not to stretch them "by the sip" and drink from a straw.
Another harmful product is sticky and sticky sweets (toffee, gummies). During the long chewing process, the enamel is constantly exposed to sugar and flavor enhancers. This erodes the surface of the teeth. In addition, toffee can damage seals. It is better to refuse such sweets.
For many, it comes as a surprise to the harmful effects of citrus fruits, especially lemons and oranges. Fruit acids erode enamel and accelerate the development of caries. Of course, you should not give up healthy fruits, but after eating them, you should rinse your mouth.
Corn is also not good for teeth. Grains remain between the teeth and provoke inflammation. Corn in cans, due to preservatives, negatively affects the enamel, and popcorn destroys the seals. All solid foods are in the "risk zone" - nuts, crackers, candies. It is worth eating them carefully and slowly.
Expert commentary
yutina, pediatric dentist, winner of the competition for pediatric dentists in Russia
It is important to know and always remember that the main cause of tooth decay is caries. Caries is an infectious disease. He has a pathogen - streptococcus. Bacteria live and multiply in the mouth, producing acid that can destroy dental tissue. And now food, consumed by humans, becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. Microorganisms love to eat carbohydrate foods. This is the most favorable environment for their reproduction.
Therefore, one of the reasons for the aggravation of caries can be frequent snacks with the following products: cookies, dryers, corn sticks, breadcrumbs, chips, buns, etc. Such products have excellent "sticking" properties. They stick to the teeth, get stuck between them and on the chewing surface.
Saliva is not able to quickly wash away the formed plaque from carbohydrates. For quite a long time, residues from such products come into contact with the surfaces of the teeth, thereby creating a breeding ground for the growth of bacteria that provoke tooth decay.
It is extremely important for the health of the teeth of both adults and children to minimize the consumption of such foods. And also to be more attentive to hygiene: to carry it out efficiently and regularly. Ideally, after these snacks, you should brush your teeth or rinse your mouth.
By the way, you should be especially careful with sucking sweets containing sugar (including fructose). Due to their physical characteristics, these products have a rather long-term negative effect on the teeth. To minimize risks, try to replace standard "suckers" with those that do not contain sugar. A possible substitute is xylitol.