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 too 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 the 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. Willow Pass Dental Care can provide state-of-the-art tooth restoration solutions. There are several solutions from dental crowns, dental veneers, dental implants, affordable dentures, or full-mouth reconstruction.

5 Bad Foods for Teeth

1. Bread

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 Breads
You Can Purchase At The Store

• 

  Ezekiel 4:9 Sesame Sprouted Whole 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.

• 

  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

• 

  Dave’s Killer Bread: 21 Whole Grains and Seeds

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

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

• 

  Happy Campers Gluten-Free

  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 to nourish and energize 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 

2. Soft Drinks and Sodas

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

Soft drinks are one of the worst beverages for your teeth for three critical reasons. 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. Soft drinks, from the perspective of your enamel, win the Triple Crown for its destructive potential. If you must consume a soft drink, at least use a straw.

Healthy Alternatives to Soft Drinks

• 

  Sparkling Rose Tea

  Sparkling Rose Tea is unsweetened and lightly effervescent. It is made with organic ingredients and no sweeteners or preservatives.Ingredients include filtered sparkling water, organic rose tea, hibiscus extract, organic cardamom extract, organic lime extract, and citric acid.Zero calories!Zero sugar!Zero carbs!Zero fat!Zero sodium!

• 

  S.Pellegrino Sparkling Mineral Water

  S. Pellegrino is an Italian natural mineral water brand, owned by the company Sanpellagrino S.p.A., whose production plant is located in San Pellegrino Terme in the Province of Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy.As you can see from the photo it now comes in a sleek can.Zero calories!Click here for the S.Pellegrino Bottled Water Quality Report.

• 

  Bai 5 Bubbles

  Bib bubbly flavor.5 tiny calories!1 gram of sugar and no artificial sweeteners. Fresh fizzy feeling. Also, try Bai antioxidant-infused coffee fruit that has 5 calories, 1 gram of sugar, and no artificial sweeteners. Bai likes to say it’s pretty much a party in your mouth. 

• 

  IZZE

  Very refreshing taste — and addictive.It contains 70 percent fruit juice and a splash of sparkling water. No added sugar or preservatives.Approximately 120 calories per bottle. See nutrition facts here.  

3. Potato Chips or French Fries

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!

Healthy Alternatives

• 

  Boulder Canyon Totally Natural Kettle Cooked Potato Chips

  “The fried but not too oily taste.”The right amount of salt.”Chip tasters said this was the healthy chip for “chip heaven.”

• 

  bare Veggie Chips

  Gluten-freeNo added sugarFat-freeNo oilDairy-freeVeganNo preservativesNo cholesterol3g of proteinGood source of potassium

• 

  Beanitos Black Bean Chips

  Gluten-FreeVegan5 g of plant-based protein per serving4g of fiber per servingFarm to BagMade from sustainable crop sourced from American FarmersContains antioxidantsNo PreservativesNon-GMO

4. Ice

The brittleness and cold temperature of ice cubes can actually cause teeth to chip or fracture. They can also cause tiny microscopic cracks in the surface of the tooth’s enamel, which could lead to significant dental problems over time.

Crushed ice is less harmful than bigger cubes, but it still doesn’t get the blessing of most dentists, including myself.

Alternatives to Crunching On Ice

• 

  Ice Goddess

  The best seller is the Watermelon Juice Kiki Slush with a hint of mint and key lime.Ingredients include watermelon, mint, and lime. 

• 

  Jamba Smoothies

  MMMM Good!240 – 430 caloriesGreat flavorsStrawberries WildAloha PineappleCaribbean PassionOrange Dream MachineMatcha Green Tea BlastRazzmatazzStrawberry Surf RiderMango-A-Go-Go

5. Sour Candies

Most traditional candy is bad for your teeth.

But, sour candy…

Sour candy contains much higher levels of acidity that is very harmful to the enamel on your teeth. Because the candy is chewy, they easily stick to your teeth for a longer time allowing the acid work through the enamel.

If you’re craving sweets try some of the healthy alternatives below or read my article, Tasty Candy That’s Good for Your Teeth — No Kidding!.

Tasty Candy That’s Good for Your Teeth

• 

  Zolli Pops

  Zolli Pops are sugar-free, non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, organic, kosher and mom-approved!Known as The After You Eat Treat — for a cleaner, healthier smile. It’s the yummy treat for your teeth.

• 

  Smart Sweets

  Here’s how they describe their candy:”We love candy too. But we don’t love all the sugar, weird artificial colors, and high calories in traditional sweets.Our pinky swear to you is no added sugar, no sugar alcohols and no artificial sweeteners.You deserve to feel GOOD about candy.”

• 

  Get UNREAL

  It’s all about the story and like Smart Sweets, Get Unreal has a good story and a fun website.Here’s how the two founders (Nicky, 21 years old and Kris, 24 years old) tell their story:Once upon a time, there were two kids whose parents really didn’t want them eating their favorite chocolates.Not much of a story there, but it made these brothers dream: could they remake their favorites without the bad stuff?A thousand recipes later (for real), they cracked the code to make some of the best tasting chocolate snacks ever.We aren’t kids anymore. But we’re still inspired by our unreal dream. Good is back, and it’s just warming up.

• 

  Milkless

  It’s all about the story and like Smart Sweets, Get Unreal has a good story and a fun website.Here’s how the two founders (Nicky, 21 years old and Kris, 24 years old) tell their story:Once upon a time, there were two kids whose parents really didn’t want them eating their favorite chocolates.Not much of a story there, but it made these brothers dream: could they remake their favorites without the bad stuff?A thousand recipes later (for real), they cracked the code to make some of the best tasting chocolate snacks ever.We aren’t kids anymore. But we’re still inspired by our unreal dream. Good is back, and it’s just warming up.

5 Food That Protect Your Teeth

• 

  Water

  Water not only rinses away food debris, but it also helps replenish saliva in your mouth which is critical for managing your mouth’s microbiome and essential for the process of remineralization.

• 

  Dairy

  Dairy products are high in calcium which is essential for the health and resilience of your teeth. Your body needs lots of calcium to help maintain adequate bone density. Look for dairy product enriched with vitamin D which works helps with calcium absorption into the body and play a critical role in the health of your body in its own right.

• 

  Seafood

  Seafoods such as scallops, sardines, shrimp, tuna, and salmon are rich in phosphorus which, after calcium, is the second most abundant mineral in the human body. Phosphorus is directly embedded in your teeth and bones.

• 

  Vegetables

  Vegetables provide a plethora of vitamins critical to the health of your teeth, including vitamin D which aids in the absorption of both calcium and phosphorus. Additionally, fibrous vegetables also act as a natural toothbrush gently scraping off plaque and food debris as you eat.

• 

  Probiotics

  A growing body of research is beginning to show that your mouth, and by extension your teeth and gums, are a rich substrate for a huge mass of microbes that compose a person’s microbiome. Keeping your mouth and teeth healthy involves keeping the bad, acid-producing bacteria in check. While this is typically accomplished through brushing and flossing, another way to control harmful bacteria is to help the good bacteria out-compete them.Eating probiotic foods, like specially formulated probiotic yogurt, can introduce benign bacteria that can overwhelm and outcompete the nastier strains.

5 Easy Routines To Protect Your Teeth

• 

  Drink water after coffee and/or tea.

  Coffee and tea are notable as not only the first and second most popular beverages in the world, they are also known for their potent staining ability. To make matters worse, both drinks are especially acidic and will erode enamel over time. This double whammy of staining tannins and enamel-eroding acidity make both drinks particularly troublesome for healthy teeth.To help with this problem, try drinking a sip of water after each sip of coffee and tea. Not only will this help you stay hydrated (caffeinated drinks are known diuretics), it will also help restore the PH of your mouth and rinse away tannins.

• 

  Slice food that require biting into

  Apples, corn-on-the-cob, carrots and other foods that may subject your teeth to shear forces are responsible for unknown cases of broken and chipped teeth. This all-too-common cause of tooth loss can be easily avoided: simply slice the offending food into smaller pieces. Slice apples and carrots and remove corn kernels from the cob. It’s as simple as that.

• 

  Dumb the carbs

  Carbohydrates, particularly the simple starches found in such staple foods bread, rice, and potatoes, are bad for your teeth (and your health in general) for many reasons.For starters, starches easily convert into sugars in the mouth. Carbohydrates tend to also stick to the surface of your teeth making for a highly damaging combination of delivering sugar directly to sugar-loving, acid-emitting microbes that like to live on your teeth. As we know, acid is the enemy of your teeth. Encouraging the flourishing of acid-producing bacteria is just not a good idea.

• 

  Use a straw

  Your teeth, particularly the enamel, is often the first point of contact for the contents of a variety of popular beverages and drinks. In practice, that means your teeth are exposed to highly acidic liquids and chemicals over an extended period of time.Fruit juices, sodas and other acidic or sugary drinks have the unfortunate side effect of eroding enamel and promoting the growth of acid-spewing bacteria.Using a straw neatly bypasses the teeth entirely allowing you to enjoy your beverage without completely exposing your teeth to damaging acids. While it may look silly to sip your coffee or tea with a straw, it might be a habit to pick up if you want your teeth to stay strong and shiny for as long as possible.

• 

  Decide to eat healthy

  At the end of the day, the most efficient way to ensure healthy teeth is to ensure the health of the rest of your body. Eating a balanced diet with the recommended amounts of critical macro and micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, will go a long way towards achieving that goal.

  Calcium through dairy products, phosphorus through lean proteins, and the vitamins found in vegetables are critical for every aspect of a tooth’s health from the strength and resilience of its enamel to its ability to ward off infections and promote dentin regeneration.

  Remember, each component of your body from your mouth to your heart and brain is intimately and inextricably connected and dependent on each other. Did you know, for example, that infections of the gum can actually directly contribute to heart failure? What this means, is that caring for your teeth is more than just routine brushing and flossing. Its part of a holistic understanding that caring for one part of the body is beneficial for the whole.

  If you want to be inspired about getting healthy and losing weight — CLICK HERE.