Candy is a major part of a lot of our holidays. There is no way to get through Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day or Easter without enjoying at least one piece of candy goodness. Of course, we also know that candy is bad for our teeth. That is why we should brush after every chocolate bar. However, there are some foods that might actually be worse than candy for your teeth. How many of these food items do you regularly indulge with?
Dried Fruit
For all practical purposes, dried fruit is candy. When water is extracted from a piece of fruit, what remains is the high sugar content. You’re much better off enjoying a fresh piece of fruit before the dehydration.
Soda
Yes, soda has sugar but how much? One 12-ounce can is loaded with up to 29 grams of the sweet stuff. That would be like taking a glass of water and adding 10 teaspoons of sugar. But that’s not the only problem. Sodas can also be extremely acidic and that can break down your enamel, too. Things are compounded if you’re sipping on soda throughout the day.
Pasta Sauce
Not pasta sauce! Sorry but tomatoes can also be rather acidic. Combine that with the carbs from pasta that create cavity-causing bacteria and you’ve got a proverbial one-two punch clobbering your teeth.
Coffee and Tea
You know that coffee and tea can stain your teeth, right? But that caffeine also acts as a diuretic. That means your mouth is going to get dry when drinking these liquids. A dry mouth means less saliva. That would be the same saliva that protects your teeth. A good swish of water after drinking one of these beverages can help protect your teeth.
Gummy Vitamins
These are essentially candy with a boost. They have to be chewed and the sugary squishy bits can stay stuck to teeth. A better option are vitamins that you can swallow or chew. This is something to think about when giving kids vitamins.
Ice
Ice itself in a drink isn’t a problem. It is when you get into the habit of crunching ice that you’re asking for trouble. You can literally snap off a portion of your tooth by crunching ice.
