A pretty smile is still a big asset when you want to be your femme fatale. And it’s true that to wear a smile worthy of a Colgate ad, it’s better to have healthy teeth. But hey, it’s not easy to maintain our smile on a daily basis … Already because we don’t always succeed in brushing our teeth 3 times a day (normal, we won’t bring our toothbrush back to work anyway!) , and that we have some bad habits that are not good for our teeth (alcohol, cigarettes, a diet that is not really balanced, etc.).
If we want to rectify the situation, it might be interesting to start by distinguishing the foods that are good for our smile, and those that have a grudge against us! That’s good, this post we has compiled a top 10 foods that are bad for your teeth…
1. Candy that sticks
Dragibus, soft caramels, fruit jellies… All that is very good, but what does it stick to? Often, after eating a caramel, we have the impression that we have a little left between our teeth… But since we don’t dare go digging in our mouth with both hands, we let the caramel take its course in our blocked.
Not great: when a sticky candy stays in prolonged contact with our teeth, it’s all the sugar it contains that will stay in contact with our teeth. Sugar that will be transformed into acid, and damage the tooth.
2. Crisps
Crisps are not bad only for the line: for the teeth too! Indeed, appetizer biscuits, in addition to being very rich in lipids, also contain a lot of sugar. It is well known that sugar is not our teeth’s best friend.
Because our mouth contains bacteria that will feed on the sugar we swallow and transform it into acid. Acid which will attack the enamel of our teeth, and demineralize them. With, as a well-known consequence, the famous cavity!
3. Fruit juices that are too acidic
Industrial fruit juices that are too acidic (those made from citrus fruits, for example) may be perfect for waking us up in the morning, but for our teeth it’s really not that . Indeed, acidity is far from being the best ally of healthy and strong teeth! Logical, since it can cause erosion of the teeth by damaging the enamel, and cause cavities.
So if you have sensitive teeth, it is better to drink your morning orange juice with a straw, so that the acidity does not spread throughout your mouth!
4. Sodas
Sodas have a bit the same effect as orange juice on our teeth… only worse! Yes: sodas are super acidic at the base. But in addition, they are often very rich in sugars; however, sugar is an element that will naturally turn into acids when it encounters the bacteria present in our mouths.
Sodas are therefore real cocktails of acids in our mouths, which it is better to avoid to keep teeth in good health.
5. Too sweet menthol pastilles
Mints, we always have them in our bag: it’s super effective for giving fresh breath at any time of the day. Yes, but… they don’t only want our mouths to be good!
As we keep it long enough in the mouth, the sugar it contains has time to spread all over our teeth. And sugar that remains in our mouth is a treat for bacteria, which will not fail to transform it into acids.
So if we have a small piece of mint that gets stuck in the hollow of a tooth, it’s our enamel that will taste…
6. Wine
After drinking red wine, our teeth often darken and stain. No need to say more about the devastating effects of red wine on our white teeth. But beware: red wine is not the only wine to be bad for our teeth!
A recent American study showed that white wine favored fixing the color of other drinks if consumed afterwards. White wine + tomato juice = ouch ouch ouch…
The icing on the cake: wine is an acidic alcohol that can cause cavities!
7. Coffee
Coffee is quite simply the number one enemy of white teeth! Because of the colored pigments it contains, coffee is a product that consumed regularly can stain our pretty teeth.
The solution to avoid having yellow or brown teeth because of coffee? Drink water after drinking our little black (or rinse your mouth), and brush your teeth about 25 minutes after finishing your cup of coffee.
8. Tea
We hear everywhere that tea is the health drink par excellence. It’s true, but unfortunately not for our teeth… Indeed, tea is a drink that contains a lot of tannins (just like coffee or wine), a substance that is known to leave a deposit on the teeth, and in the long term stain them.
It is therefore better to favor green or black teas, and especially to brush the times after drinking tea.
9. Spices
Cumin, curry, turmeric or even paprika are spices that we all have in our kitchen to bring flavors and colors to our dishes. Small problem: if spices color our dishes so brightly, they can also stain our teeth with all their pigments…
Well, even if spices are bad for our teeth, we’re not going to do without them, but try to brush your teeth quickly after a spicy dish…
10. Snacking
When we snack all day, whatever food we swallow, it’s not going to do our teeth any good. Explanation: when we chew, our brain prepares to digest food, and will therefore increase the acidity of the mouth so that we can digest food more easily. Then, saliva goes to work to reduce the acidity of our mouth when we have finished eating.
But if you snack all day, saliva will not be able to play its role properly. Our mouth will remain acidic, and bacteria will be able to develop there at leisure.
