Best and Worst Foods For Your Teeth

Dr. Reza Written by Dr. Reza Khazaie

5 common healthy foods to eat, 5 foods that damage teeth, and 5 easy ways to protect your teeth and efficiently promote the health of your teeth.

Bad Food for Teeth

Your teeth are powerful and resilient triumphs of genetic engineering and design. Embedded in the exceptionally capable jaws of a human adult, the average person can exert a bite pressure of 150 to 200 pounds per square inch. Our molars, which are designed for grinding and mashing strong roots and nuts, can apply as much as 171 pounds of force on average and as much as 270 pounds of force in some cases. While that won’t compare to the deadly bite of a crocodile, it is powerful enough to crush a variety of tastier foes such as tough cuts of meat, dense fruits, and hard nuts.

However, as amazingly and wonderfully resilient as your teeth may be, they aren’t invulnerable to the gradual wear and tear and daily forces we subject them to every day. What we directly expose our teeth to will affect the health and structural integrity of our teeth and mouth. To protect your teeth and maintain healthy teeth, watch what you eat.

Best and Worst Foods for Your Teeth

According to Scientific American, while human teeth are strong, they aren’t strong enough to overcome a particularly stale piece of bread or a typical stick of licorice, which may require forces over 250 pounds to be completely crushed.

While strong enough to withstand a lifetime of biting, chewing, and grinding with the right care and attention, your teeth are susceptible to being cracked, chipped, broken, eroded, or otherwise damaged and degraded based on what you put in your mouth.

If that describes you, there is hope for those with damaged teeth. There are several solutions for damaged teeth, such as dental crowns, dental veneers, dental implants, dentures, or full-mouth reconstruction.

5 Bad Foods for Teeth & Better Alternatives

1. Bread
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While a staple of human consumption for millennia, bread is bad food for teeth on a number of levels. Its simple chemical structure means that carbohydrates become easily converted into sugars which fuel acid-producing bacteria in the mouth. Worse, hard breads and bread crusts can damage or break a tooth. While your teeth exert a lot of force, a piece of stale crust can easily withstand up to 350 pounds of force, thus the number one spot as a bad food for teeth.

Some of the healthiest bread

Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Bread

Sprouted bread is made from whole grains that have started to sprout from exposure to heat and moisture. It is believed that there is an increase in the number of nutrients due to sprouting. One study from the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health found pita bread made with 50 percent sprouted wheat flour had over three times as much folate, a vitamin critical for converting food into energy, then pita made without sprouted wheat flour. Also, most sprouted breads are high in fiber and protein. As such, they are more filling than refined breads.

Healthy Bread: Ezekiel 4:9 - Willow Pass Dental Care - Concord, CA
Arnold Whole Grain Wheat Bread

Visit Arnold’s site and get the entire scoop on their bread. The Arnold family of breads have “no added nonsense” which means:

  • No high fructose corn syrup
  • No partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHOs)
  • No artificial preservatives
  • No FD&C artificial colors
  • No potassium bromate
  • No SSL/CSL
  • No azodicarbonamide (ADA)
  • No bleached flour
Healthy Bread: Ezekiel 4:9 - Willow Pass Dental Care - Concord, CA
Dave’s Killer Bread: 21 Whole Grains and Seeds

It is not good for those on the Keto or gluten-free diet but is regarded by many as America’s favorite organic sliced bread.

Also, check out their website. This is a company with a soul.

Healthy Bread: Ezekiel 4:9 - Willow Pass Dental Care - Concord, CA
Happy Campers Gluten-Free Classy Slice Bread

A company started in 2010 by a couple of college kids with a passion for all things healthy. Their pursuit of wellness and happiness led them to begin experimenting with nutritious foods with the goal of nourishing and energizing our active lifestyles. Their favorite was bread! And thus, Happy Campers. 

Pros:

  • Gluten-free bakery
  • Organic
  • 100% non-GMO ingredients
  • No junk
  • Healthy: allergy-friendly, highly nutritious, and super delicious!
  • They ship to you 
Healthy Bread: Ezekiel 4:9 - Willow Pass Dental Care - Concord, CA
2. Soft drinks and sodas
Best Foods and Drinks for Teeth - Willow Pass Dental Care, Concord, CA

Though soft drinks are not food, we decided to add them to our list of “Bad Food for Teeth” because they are often consumed with our food.

For three critical reasons, soft drinks are one of the worst beverages for your teeth. First, soft drinks are highly acidic. What that means is that they will directly erode the protective enamel of your teeth and strip away protective minerals.

Second, soft drinks are typically loaded with simple sugars that acid-producing microbes love. This contributes to bacterial build-up, plaque, tartar, and further destruction.

Finally, soft drinks cause dry mouth or a lack of saliva production. Saliva is one of the mouth’s primary defenses against microbial buildup and is essential for the remineralization of teeth. From the perspective of your enamel, soft drinks win the Triple Crown for their destructive potential. If you must consume a soft drink, at least use a straw.

Some healthy alternatives to sugary soft drinks

Calypso ZERO SUGAR Lemonades & Teas

They call it Vacation In A Bottle. I would agree. Tastes great! They have both lemonade and tea flavors. You will want to make sure you read the ingredients as they contain sucralose and EDTA to protect the color. That said, this is much better for the teeth and the diet than traditional soft drinks!

These drinks contain ZERO calories and sugar. They are flavored with natural lemon/lime juices for some antioxidant Vitamin C as opposed to artificial dye. They are sweetened using the natural non-nutritive sweeteners erythritol and stevia – these have negligible impacts on blood sugar unlike high fructose corn syrup. There is no phosphoric acid or additives which makes it gentler on the teeth and digestive system.

While not nutritionally equivalent to plain water Calypso is a better alternative to traditional sodas.

Healthy Bread: Ezekiel 4:9 - Willow Pass Dental Care - Concord, CA
IZZE Sparkling

It has a very refreshing taste. IZZE’s line of sparkling juice drinks are a much better alternative to traditional full-sugar soft drinks but aren’t as healthy as options like plain water or seltzer.

Pros of IZZE versus regular soft drinks:

  • Low in sugar and calories – IZZE contains 50-70 calories and 14-17g of sugar per can, compared to 90-150 calories and over 25g of sugar in Coke or Pepsi.
  • Higher juice content. There is up to 70% juice that provides more nutrients than soda including Vitamin C.
  • Doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners or colorings.

There are still cons to note, such as IZZE is still relatively high in natural sugar content per can for only 70 calories. The American Heart Association recommends limiting drinks to 25g or less of sugar.

Also, the carbonated aspect impacts tooth enamel similar to traditional sodas.

So while IZZE is better than a typical soft drink, plain or infused sparkling waters with no sugar or low-calorie juices make the healthiest swap. Again, water remains the best drink for hydration, dental care, and your health.

Healthy Bread: Ezekiel 4:9 - Willow Pass Dental Care - Concord, CA
S. Pellegrino Sparkling Mineral Water

S. Pellegrino Sparkling Mineral Water is an excellent alternative to sugary soft drinks. Benefits over typical soda include:

  • Zero calories, sugar, artificial additives or sweeteners – avoids obesity/metabolic health risks soda introduces through empty calories.
  • Naturally carbonated from spring water source, it creates a bubbly sensation without acids or phosphates used to carbonate manufactured sodas.
  • Provides hydration as effectively as regular purified water while stimulating taste buds.
  • Rich in naturally occurring minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium – it supplements daily nutrient intake.
  • Unlike constant sipping of juice or regular soda, there is no erosion of tooth enamel from sugar exposure over time.

While not as electrolyte-dense as sports drinks, S. Pellegrino mineral water matches plain water for meeting basic hydration needs across meals and activities without any consumption drawbacks soda entails. The subtle saltiness coming from natural springs makes it a refreshing, satisfying stand-in. For those weaning off usual soft drinks, it offers the ideal transitional step towards unflavored still water as the ultimate healthy beverage.

Healthy Bread: Ezekiel 4:9 - Willow Pass Dental Care - Concord, CA
3. Potato chips or french fries
Best Foods and Drinks for Teeth - Willow Pass Dental Care, Concord, CA

A trip down the chip aisle at your local grocery store is more than likely an assortment of junk food.

These foods are super high in fat, calories, large amounts of acrylamides, which are carcinogenic substances that form when potatoes are fried, baked, or roasted.

Potato chip consumption is also linked to cause significant weight gain and obesity. A 2015 study in Health Affairs found that potatoes fried in oil (including chips) were among the foods most strongly linked to weight gain.

Also, the sodium content in chips may negatively impact your cardiovascular health. A high intake can cause an increase in blood pressure, which can lead to stroke, coronary heart disease, kidney disease, and heart failure.

Frequent chip consumption can also contribute to high cholesterol levels because of the fat content found in chips. Most chips are deep-fried, a process that creates trans fats, which is the most dangerous to your health. High levels of trans fats in the bloodstream are associated with high levels of LDL cholesterol and an increased risk of coronary heart disease.

Avoid!

Some healthy alternatives to sugary soft drinks

Calypso ZERO SUGAR Lemonades & Teas

They call it Vacation In A Bottle. I would agree. Tastes great! They have both lemonade and tea flavors. You will want to make sure you read the ingredients as they contain sucralose and EDTA to protect the color. That said, this is much better for the teeth and the diet than traditional soft drinks!

These drinks contain ZERO calories and sugar. They are flavored with natural lemon/lime juices for some antioxidant Vitamin C as opposed to artificial dye. They are sweetened using the natural non-nutritive sweeteners erythritol and stevia – these have negligible impacts on blood sugar unlike high fructose corn syrup. There is no phosphoric acid or additives which makes it gentler on the teeth and digestive system.

While not nutritionally equivalent to plain water Calypso is a better alternative to traditional sodas.

Healthy Bread: Ezekiel 4:9 - Willow Pass Dental Care - Concord, CA
IZZE Sparkling

It has a very refreshing taste. IZZE’s line of sparkling juice drinks are a much better alternative to traditional full-sugar soft drinks but aren’t as healthy as options like plain water or seltzer.

Pros of IZZE versus regular soft drinks:

  • Low in sugar and calories – IZZE contains 50-70 calories and 14-17g of sugar per can, compared to 90-150 calories and over 25g of sugar in Coke or Pepsi.
  • Higher juice content. There is up to 70% juice that provides more nutrients than soda including Vitamin C.
  • Doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners or colorings.

There are still cons to note, such as IZZE is still relatively high in natural sugar content per can for only 70 calories. The American Heart Association recommends limiting drinks to 25g or less of sugar.

Also, the carbonated aspect impacts tooth enamel similar to traditional sodas.

So while IZZE is better than a typical soft drink, plain or infused sparkling waters with no sugar or low-calorie juices make the healthiest swap. Again, water remains the best drink for hydration, dental care, and your health.

Healthy Bread: Ezekiel 4:9 - Willow Pass Dental Care - Concord, CA
S. Pellegrino Sparkling Mineral Water

S. Pellegrino Sparkling Mineral Water is an excellent alternative to sugary soft drinks. Benefits over typical soda include:

  • Zero calories, sugar, artificial additives or sweeteners – avoids obesity/metabolic health risks soda introduces through empty calories.
  • Naturally carbonated from spring water source, it creates a bubbly sensation without acids or phosphates used to carbonate manufactured sodas.
  • Provides hydration as effectively as regular purified water while stimulating taste buds.
  • Rich in naturally occurring minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium – it supplements daily nutrient intake.
  • Unlike constant sipping of juice or regular soda, there is no erosion of tooth enamel from sugar exposure over time.

While not as electrolyte-dense as sports drinks, S. Pellegrino mineral water matches plain water for meeting basic hydration needs across meals and activities without any consumption drawbacks soda entails. The subtle saltiness coming from natural springs makes it a refreshing, satisfying stand-in. For those weaning off usual soft drinks, it offers the ideal transitional step towards unflavored still water as the ultimate healthy beverage.

Healthy Bread: Ezekiel 4:9 - Willow Pass Dental Care - Concord, CA