Foods That Benefits The Body, But Harm The Teeth.
In
the world of foods, a lot of weirdos apply. It turned out that many
foods that benefit the body are harmful to the teeth. Here’s a list of
some of such foods…
Milk:
Nutritionists note that milk is a
healthy source of calcium. Other top sources of this mineral are cheese,
turnip greens, oranges, and broccoli; but milk not only has the most
calcium, it’s also a great source of vitamin D, riboflavin, carotene,
and retinol, among others. However, despite these numerous pluses, milk
can wreak havoc on your teeth — that is if you take much milk while you
are careless with oral hygiene! A dentist, Dr. Deola Olonilua, says the
lactose (a form of sugar) in milk rots the teeth as much as frizzy
drinks do. She warns that even though certain foods are healthy, the
presence of certain elements or minerals in then can damage the teeth
when the eater has prolonged exposure to such foods. She says, “Milk has
a sugar in it called lactose. The lactose in milk can be especially
dangerous for children if they have it just before bedtime. This is
because the milk will still be on their teeth as they sleep, and the
sugars are converted to acids by oral bacteria. The acids can coat the
teeth and consequently eat away at the tooth enamel. That is one of the
ways people develop cavities.” She advises that people should not hit
the bed immediately after taking milk. Rather, she counsels,
“You should rinse your mouth thoroughly after taking milk, or better still, brush your teeth as the last thing before bed.
Lemon:
Though lemon drinks have detoxifying and other benefits, it can affect
your teeth in many ways than one. Lemon contains citric acid, which,
dentists say, causes enamel erosion and other dental problems. The
online portal, 1800dentist.com, states, “Drinking lemon juice can put
you at risk for tooth erosion, a condition where the thin, protective
layer of enamel slowly wears away from your teeth. Lemon juice contains
acid, which irritates gums and softens tooth enamel.” Experts warn that
frequent consumption of products that contain acid will eventually
destroy the enamel and expose underlying dentin, leaving your teeth
vulnerable to sensitivity and tooth decay. “Enamel erosion is one of the
most common causes of cavities and tooth loss. This is because when you
feast on these fruits for a long period, it means you are constantly
bathing your teeth in acid and sugar; this will not allow your saliva to
wash it away and neutralise the acids,” Olonilua says. Other fruits in
this category include orange, apple and grapefruit juice. The dentist
says since these fruits also contain natural sugars, the best bet is to
thoroughly rinse the mouth after taking them.
Dried fruits:
In these days of eating on-the-go, dried fruits come in handy, as you can munch them at any time
of
the day. Plus, they are available all the year round, and you can stock
up on them without any fear that they would rot. However, experts say
though dried fruits have admirably long shelf life, their detrimental
effects on the teeth are enormous. Olonilua says, “Dried fruits can be
harmful to the teeth because of their concentrated sugar content and
stickiness. When you eat dried fruits, parts of them can easily adhere
to the teeth, while the sugar in them encourages bacteria to thrive in
the mouth. This is very likely to erode tooth enamel.” Scientists
contend that since dried fruits are packed
with non-soluble cellulose
fibre, they can bind and trap sugars on and around the tooth, making it
worse than sweets. They advise that after taking dried fruit, brush
immediately; and if you have no access to brush, rinse your mouth
thoroughly while running your tongue all over your teeth.
Red, white wine:
When taken in moderation, wine is said to benefit the heart immensely.
But then, wines do wreck havoc on teeth also. Take the red wine, for
instance, which, experts say, is a tasty mix of natural dyes, acids, and
tannin. These three ingredients leave lasting effects
on teeth, as
they can contribute to teeth stain. Researchers say saliva in our mouth
helps to wash away food particles and protect against acidic foods.
However, wine contains alcohol, and alcohol suppresses the production of
saliva. When this happens frequently, it is harmful for teeth and it
may lead to gum disease. In extreme cases, it may lead to oral cancer,
experts warn. A group of New York University researchers warn that if
taken in excess, the acidic composition of wines can dissolve the
enamel, make teeth porous and easily stained. Another study published in
the journal Nutrition Research states that different types of wine may
have a more negative impact on your teeth than others. The study shows
that white wine has an acid content that tends to increase the risk of
dark dental stains if you also drink tea or similar beverages. The
researchers tested the effects of multiple red and white wines on teeth,
and found that wine erodes the enamel of teeth, while white wine has a
worse impact than red wine. “Wine is highly acidic, and the acid leads
to lower levels of minerals such as calcium and dental erosion. The
white grape variety (riesling) was found to be the most acidic of the
wines tested,” the study says. Well, unlike the advice with other foods,
experts say it is not recommended to brush immediately after drinking
wine. “The softened teeth can be eroded by vigorous hygiene, so you
should rinse — and wait a bit — before scrubbing your teeth,” the
experts advise. Olonilua says for this reason, it’s always a good idea
to drink some water after drinking wine in order to rinse the acids from
your mouth.
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