Visiting the dentist for a teeth cleaning or 6 month check up can bring some anxiety for the few upcoming days before your visit. Maybe you’ll start checking your teeth a bit more or start flossing your teeth a couple extra times a day just as a precaution. Well, what if you could avoid eating certain foods or change the way you eat certain foods to better your oral health and you won’t have to worry so much? Of course removing certain foods out of our daily routine might not be the easiest. Dr. Laura Ruof, Glenview Dentist, lists a few tips and tricks that make it easy for anyone to follow!
1.) Coffee
Some of you may be thinking “No Way! I’m not giving up coffee. I won’t survive the day!” Well, you don’t have to give it up! While ideally it would be great to avoid drinking coffee every day, it isn’t realistic for everyone. Coffee is bad for our teeth because it can stain our teeth and the acid from the coffee erodes the tooth enamel. The easiest way to keep drinking coffee and keep your beautiful teeth white is by using a straw! This might take a little adjustment and getting used to but you and your dentist will be happy in the long run.
2.) Seltzer & Carbonated Drinks
Drinking seltzer, carbonated drinks, or soda weakens the tooth enamel which compromises your dental health. The bubbles from the drinks are caused by a chemical reaction between water and carbon dioxide in which it has been dissolved. When you drink carbonated drinks like diet coke or La Croix you are ingesting the chemical reaction that causes this carbonation and forms carbonic acid which is the chemical that weakens your tooth enamel. Similarly to coffee, you can avoid this easily by using a straw when consuming carbonated drinks!
3.) Gummy Vitamins
Vitamins in a gummy form are not an ideal option when you’re trying to take care of your oral health. The sugar in the gummy ends up sticking to your teeth and increasing the chance of bacteria growth, tooth decay, and plaque. Luckily, vitamins come in other forms as well such as softgels and capsules.
4.) Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is extremely acidic and weakens the enamel on your teeth. When you weaken the enamel on your teeth you are at a higher risk of developing tooth decay and cavities. If the enamel on your teeth erodes this can also cause sensitivity in your teeth which makes it difficult to eat hot or cold foods. Apple cider vinegar also causes reflux and can get stuck in the glands and circulated around your teeth.
5.) Hot Lemon Water
Another popular trend circulating is drinking hot lemon water first thing in the morning or before bed. Dr. Laura Ruof explains, “A patient can come into my office and I can take one look at their teeth and I say “you’re drinking hot lemon water.” It gives a very specific pattern of erosion all along these edges of the teeth, it just bathes them in acid, and then if you brush afterwards you’re just brushing your tooth enamel away. There is no way that we can repair that or put that back on the teeth, it’s gone forever. I see it on patients who have only been doing it for a few weeks so please, no more hot lemon water.”
We know it might not be the easiest to give up your favorite drinks like coffee or soda and you don’t necessarily have to! It’s important to know you have other options such as using a straw or taking your vitamins in other forms instead of consuming gummy vitamins. Our goal as dental professionals is to keep your teeth strong and healthy by providing you with a few preventative steps you can take. If you want to learn more about dental do’s and don’ts you can follow our YouTube channel to get updated information on dental education or get in touch with us if you have a question about any other common foods you aren’t sure about. Smile Obsession Dental has multiple convenient dental offices in Illinois. Currently, we have Smile Obsession Dental locations in Glenview, Naperville, Montgomery, Streamwood, and Wheaton. Each of our dental offices offer General Dentistry, Cosmetic Dentistry, Emergency Dentistry, Family Dentistry, & Restorative dental services along with the industry’s most advanced technology such as Philips Zoom Teeth Whitening.
