Image Source: Mother Nature Network
We all know how vital teeth are in our body. There is absolutely nothing that we can do without our teeth. The teeth come into the picture in human body as early as birth. The digestion itself starts from the mouth and this is where teeth become an integral part of the human body. Once we lose our teeth, there is profound difficulty in speaking and in particular, with eating. The loss of teeth makes it very difficult for older people to break down the food. Teeth loss also badly affects our smile and also the facial structure.
Here are some foods that may tempt you heavily, but are the real enemies of your teeth:
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Sour candies
Sour candies, also known as acidic candies are made up of sugar and strong acids, which is the primary cause of teeth erosion. These sour candies are equally harmful for both adults and children. These candies, particularly erode the immature enamel of the kids. Similarly, paediatric dental cavities and other kind of dental problems may also arise owing to acidic enamel erosion.
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Soft drinks
Carbonated drinks like soft drinks contain dissolved carbon- dioxide. With carbonation, this drink causes enamel decay and tooth loss. Soft drinks also wear away the calcium content of the teeth, which is an integral nutrient for oral health. Carbonation leads to enamel erosion and hence it is vital to protect your teeth against the harmful effects of carbonated drinks.
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Citrus fruits
We are well known to the health benefits of citrus fruits. These fruits are loaded with potassium, calcium and Vitamin A. However, too much intake of citrus fruits harms the mouth and dissolves the tooth enamel. The acidic content of fruits are determined by the pH level and anything that falls below 7 are acidic in nature. Did you know that the acidic value of these citrus fruits are only 3-4? Excessive intake of citrus fruits may de-mineralize your teeth. This detrimentally affects the teeth and causes harm like tooth sensitivity and tooth erosion and may call for the need of a root canal treatment.
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Ice
Some people like to chew ice and habitually do it. In reality, it is a sign that you are suffering from iron deficiency. Chewing ice is a habit among anemic people. Added to this, chewing up ice lead to tooth fracture. Crown and root canal treatments are often done to fix major tooth fracture. Apart from this, other effects are damaged gums, cracking teeth and tooth sensitivity.
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Potato chips
Potato chips are one of the most popular snacks all across the globe. But sadly, potato chips does no good to our teeth. Potato chips are repositories of starch. While having the chips, the starch dissolves into sugar and deposits itself in between the teeth. This leads to bacterial deposition and cracks. Potato chips also cause acid buildup in the mouth and increase the risk of the destruction of tooth enamel.
