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Top 5 Causes of Tooth Decay in the United States

by Dr.C Family Dentistry Dentist

As any child after their first Spokane valley dentist visit can tell you, candy gives you tooth decay. But that’s not the whole story. Anything with sugar, starch or acid can potentially cause an explosion of bacterial growth in your mouth. Bacteria produce acid, which in turn, corrodes the surface of your teeth. Acid is the real culprit that causes tooth decay. The worst cavity causing foods are sugary, starchy, or acidic. Save your teeth by cutting these foods from your diet, or at least, eat them in moderation.


Saltine Crackers

Goldfish crackers, soda crackers, biscuits, pretzels all have two tooth decaying qualities: they’re starchy and they tend to stick to the back of your mouth, behind those hard to reach teeth, along gum line, and in all the cracks. Children eat crackers as a cheap and cheery snack. Adults love crackers because they’re a quick fix for low blood sugar. Can’t stop for food but getting dizzy with hunger? Eat crackers. Diabetics are particularly dependent on crackers. If you can help it, eat something else or chose a salty cracker instead. Salt kills bacteria, which may help a little, but not by much. Wash out your mouth or push out the extra cracker mush from the back of your mouth. Don’t let it marinade there till evening when you brush your teeth, it would have done its damage by then.  


Soft Drinks

Soft Drinks are not good for so many reasons, including your pearly chopper. Soft drinks are both sugary and acidic. To add to your problems, soft drinks are also addictive. If you can’t stop the sugar cravings, drink with a straw so the liquid avoids your teeth. In the US, most large soda manufacturers, including your favourite brands, use high fructose corn syrup instead of cane sugar. Corn syrup is a cheaper, industrial food product that does not even taste as good as real cane sugar, but will cause the same toothache.


Caramel, Gummy bears, Starburst, Taffy

Chewy and sticky candies are far worst for your teeth than regular candy. All candy has sugar, which is bad for your teeth, but sticky candy is much worst because it stays in the mouth much longer. You chew the candy, it mixes with the saliva and lingers in the mouth before being swallowed. Very sticky candy will also stick to the tooth itself, compounding candy’s effectiveness at weakening the enamel of your tooth. Don’t forget that caramelized fruits and dehydrated fruits preserved in sugar, though are more nutritious, are still sticky enemies of your teeth.


Fruit Drinks

Fruit drinks are full of natural vitamin C, which is good for you. But don’t forget, fruit produces a lot of natural acid, too. This is especially true for citrus fruit drinks. Many fruit drinks have added sweeteners. When you eat fruit, the natural fruit sugars you ingest is accompanied by fibre that makes the fruit less acidic. But processed as juice, all the fibre is taken out, and your teeth get bathed with the full force of the fruit acids and added sweeteners.


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About Dr.C Family Dentistry Junior   Dentist

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Joined APSense since, January 4th, 2015, From Spokane Valley, United States.

Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.

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