The 6 Worst Foods for Your Teeth
What's the worst food for your teeth?
These days, people realize the importance of beautiful teeth in their overall appearance. Social media platforms are buzzing with videos on tips and tricks to maintain healthy teeth.
Everyone wants that “Hollywood Smile”, but only a few are gifted with pearly white teeth and healthy gums. And hopefully, you’re not one of those with the hands-on mouth when they smile. Poor oral health affects your quality of life; it’s hard to eat with oral pain or speak and socialize with a missing tooth.
A visit to a dentist nearby is the first step towards good oral hygiene and keeping teeth in good shape. They will fill those cavities, clean teeth, and take care of problems before they start.
But dental visits, flossing, or brushing teeth after every meal won’t keep the teeth safe and the gum free from disease. It’s what you eat that breaks down the enamel in your teeth. leading to tooth decay and inflammation of gums.
Keep your teeth healthy by eating wisely. Some foods are excellent contributors to oral issues, these will tempt you, but learn to say no when it’s in front of you.
6 Foods to Avoid
Stay away from these:
Carbonated beverages
Americans just love sugary drinks, and when they have one, it’s most likely a soda.
The sugar in soda combines with the bacteria in your mouth to make acid and attacks your teeth. A swig will cause a damaging effect to your teeth that lasts for 20 minutes and will be under continuous assault if you sip all day. Over time, the hard enamel on the surface of the teeth leads to tooth decay such as erosion and cavities.
If you can’t help it, don’t brush immediately after drinking, the friction of the acid against your teeth does more harm than good. Rinse your mouth with water to wash away acid and sugar and prevent them from damaging teeth. Substitute water or unsweetened tea if you’re thirsty.
Sticky candies and sweets
Sticky candies get caught between teeth and saliva can’t wash them away, placing you at risk of tooth decay. Sour candies like Skittles and Jolly Ranchers are highly acidic and break down tooth enamel.
The good news is there are candies that are less damaging and can be enjoyed occasionally.
Dark chocolate has less sugar and can be washed away easily. Sugar-free candies stimulate saliva production to wash away bacteria that cause tooth decay. Candy with nuts reduces the formation of cavities and is rich in protein and fiber which is good for health.
Not-so-healthy vitamins
Modern diets do not provide the vitamins for our oral health. We sip acidic drinks and sink our teeth to sweet delights, and we miss out on veggies that provide the vitamins for healthy gums and teeth. Fortunately, there are vitamins for teeth and gums to fill in the void from these lifestyle choices and reverse the harmful effects.
However, there are vitamins laced with sugar to serve a purpose. For instance, kids don’t like vegetables but they love gummy vitamins. These yummies contain vitamins, but the sugar content is bad for your kids, and residues are left in their teeth.
Dried fruits
Apricots, pineapple, and raisins when dried are tasty treats, but regular consumption will lead to tooth decay. Dried fruits are covered with concentrated sugar, and the gummy texture causes them to stick to your teeth.
Starchy foods
You might not realize that starchy foods such as potato chips, bread, flavored crackers, and pasta are bad for your teeth. The sugar content is not readily known, and it gets stuck between teeth, causing much damage.
High-acid foods and drinks
The acid content in these foods and drinks raises the acid level in your mouth, at some point, it will erode the enamel in your teeth, resulting in cavities and sensitive teeth.
Some Do's and Don'ts of Healthy Teeth
The ‘Dos’
- Visit your dentist regularly. It’s a nice way of preventing dental problems before they become full-blown.
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day, in the morning and before going to bed. Include the entire mouth when brushing; tongue, gums, cheeks; to wash away bacteria and food remains.
- Floss after eating to remove food particles lodged between teeth, as well as removing bad breath.
- Use a toothbrush with soft bristles.
- Replace toothbrush every three months, bristles break and become less effective.
- Avoid sugary, acidic foods and drinks that can cause tooth decay.
- Use an anti-cavity mouthwash or extra-fluoride toothpaste.
- Protect your teeth with a mouth guard when playing contact sports
The Don’ts
- Brushing too hard scrapes the enamel from the teeth, it can damage your gums, and hurt your teeth.
- Sticking things to your mouth will damage the enamel on your teeth.
- Opening things with your teeth can cause damage.
- Drinking coffee, tea, or sugary drinks can discolor your teeth, break away the enamel, or cause cavities.
- Grinding your teeth will cause them to chip and crack.
Conclusion
Not all foods are bad, you just have to make the right choices to boost your dental health. Fruits and veggies trigger saliva production which washes food residues and thwarts tooth decay. Fish, meat, and cheese are rich in calcium and protein that can protect and restore tooth enamel.
Steer away from sugary food. If you have to give way to your sweet tooth, eat sugary treats at mealtimes so they can be washed away by extra saliva production. Or eat dark chocolate, they have less sugar, and food remains can be easily washed.
About the Creator
Keep reading
More stories from writers in Longevity and other communities.
Sea Levels Are Rising Globally. Around Greenland, They’re Projected to Fall
As climate change accelerates, one of its clearest signals is rising sea levels around much of the world. This increase threatens coastal cities, low‑lying islands, and millions of people with flooding, erosion, and salt‑water intrusion into freshwater systems. Yet an unexpected scientific finding has emerged: sea levels around the island of Greenland are projected to fall in coming decades, even as the global average rises. Global Sea Level Rise: A Broad Picture Across the planet, sea levels are increasing due to two well‑established effects of human‑driven climate change. First, as the ocean absorbs heat trapped by greenhouse gases, water expands in volume — an effect called thermal expansion. Second, ice sheets and glaciers on land, particularly in Greenland and Antarctica, are melting and adding freshwater to the ocean. Together, these processes have already caused global mean sea level to rise by roughly 8–9 inches (about 20–23 cm) since the late 19th century, with the rate of increase accelerating in recent decades. My NASA Data Rising sea levels are a major concern for coastal communities worldwide. Even modest increases amplify the reach of storm surges, worsen tidal flooding, and erode beaches and infrastructure. Projections suggest rising sea levels will continue through the 21st century under all but the most aggressive emissions reductions. My NASA Data The Greenland Exception Despite this overall trend, new research published in Nature Communications reveals a striking local deviation around Greenland: relative sea levels there are expected to drop rather than rise by 2100. State of the Planet The key to this counter‑intuitive projection lies in how both the land and the surrounding water respond to the rapid loss of ice mass on Greenland’s enormous ice sheet. Gravitational Effects The Greenland Ice Sheet is immense — in some places more than a mile thick — and its sheer mass has a measurable gravitational pull on surrounding ocean water. The weight of this ice also depresses the Earth’s crust beneath it. Harvard Magazine As the climate warms and the ice sheet shrinks, two important things happen: Gravitational pull weakens — With less ice mass, the local gravitational attraction on nearby water lessens, so water that was “pulled” toward Greenland redistributes away from the region. Land rebound occurs — Known as glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA), the Earth’s crust gradually uplifts as the weight of ice lessens. This vertical land motion can raise the land itself relative to the ocean surface. State of the Planet These combined effects mean that even though melting ice contributes to higher seas globally, the relative height of the sea around Greenland can fall because both gravitational and crustal changes overpower the local impact of added meltwater. How Much and What It Means According to the latest models, relative sea levels around Greenland could fall by about 0.9 meters (nearly 3 feet) under a low‑emissions scenario by the end of this century, and by as much as 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) under a high‑emissions pathway. State of the Planet This projected drop is not uniform; it varies by coastal area and model assumptions, but the trend is robust across scenarios. This doesn’t mean the water disappears — globally, oceans still gain volume — but locally, the sea surface near Greenland lowers relative to the land. State of the Planet Local Impacts and Challenges A falling sea level in Greenland has unique implications: Infrastructure and access: Harbors and fishing ports built for current water levels could become too shallow, complicating boat access and maritime activity. Coastal communities: Towns that depend on present sea levels for transportation, subsistence fishing, and supply routes may need to adapt to changing conditions. euronews Glacier behavior: Lower relative sea levels may affect how certain glaciers meet the ocean, potentially stabilizing some glacier fronts, though scientists are cautious about this outcome due to many uncertainties in glacier dynamics. State of the Planet Why This Matters This phenomenon highlights a critical point: sea level change is not uniform worldwide. While global averages are important for understanding broad climate patterns, specific regions can experience very different local outcomes due to complex interactions between ice sheets, land motion, and gravity. Belfer Center The Greenland case also underscores how melting ice interacts with Earth’s physical systems in ways that aren’t immediately intuitive. As scientists refine their models with decades of observational data, regional projections become more precise — but they also reveal how intricate and interconnected the climate system truly is. State of the Planet Looking Ahead For most of the world, the challenge remains rising seas and the need to protect vulnerable coasts. But Greenland’s example serves as a potent reminder that climate change’s effects are uneven and must be understood at both global and local scales. Continued research and monitoring will be essential as communities plan for a future shaped by changing oceans.
By Fiaz Ahmed 3 days ago in Longevity
Preservation as an Act of Care
Care is usually associated with people, not with ideas. It brings to mind attentiveness, patience, protection, and responsibility toward something fragile. Meaning rarely enters that picture. Thoughts are assumed to be abundant, replaceable, and endlessly renewable. If one is lost, another will come. This assumption feels practical, but it is wrong in a quiet and costly way. Some meanings are not interchangeable. Some insights arrive only once, shaped by a particular moment, a particular season, or a particular convergence of experience that will never repeat in the same form.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast7 days ago in Longevity
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.