8 Unexpected Foods That Can Damage Your Teeth

You may already know candy leads to cavities, and wine can stain your pearly whites. But as it turns out, many other seemingly harmless foods can compromise oral hygiene.

Cracking teeth, eroding the enamel, causing cavities, and drying out your mouth, these eight everyday foods can damage your teeth unless you eat them in moderation and do annual dental cleaning.

Here's what you need to know about the surprising teeth-harming foods that dentists advised against overdoing.

1. Sunflower Seeds

The seed is not harmful to your teeth. Instead, the hull of the sunflower seed is the issue.

The fact that it has a hard outer shell that you're attempting to bite through. This can be harmful.

The seed shape corresponded to the pattern of the tooth wears. The notching was caused by a particular method of cracking the seed shell by keeping it vertically between the upper and lower incisors and applying some force to crack it.

If you enjoy the protein-packed snack, avoid cracking sunflower seeds with your teeth and instead choose hulled seeds.

2. Ice Cubes

While chewing on ice may be soothing or stress-relieving for some people, it can be harmful because both tooth enamel and ice are made of crystals.

When two crystals are pushed together with enough force, one will break.

Ice can cause cavities or cracks in your enamel, increasing your sensitivity to hot and cold foods and beverages. Instead, drink your water in its liquid state.

3. Flavored Waters and Seltzer

Even if your flavored seltzer is sugar-free, it is not acid-free. Citric acid, a common cause of enamel erosion, is found in some flavored seltzers and water.

Your enamel will never return once it has been worn away. Your teeth become more vulnerable to cavities, decay, chips, and sensitivity.

Enamel erosion occurs when there is a lot of carbonation. However, adding calcium, a mineral salt found in some sparkling water brands, reduces this effect.

4. Dried Fruit

Dried fruit contains a lot of fiber and vitamins. However, those tasty snacks contain sticky substances that, if consumed excessively, can damage your teeth.

When you remove the water, you're left with concentrated sugar and acid, and the fruit itself becomes much stickier.

Raisins and dried cherries, for example, can get stuck in the grooves and crevices of your teeth. Bacteria in your mouth could feast on the sugar that has been deposited. Acid is produced by these bacteria, which dissolve your enamel and cause cavities.

5. Gummy Vitamins

Everyone agrees that gummies are fine. The sweet and sticky vitamins, on the other hand, aren't much better for your teeth than candy.

Try chewable vitamins or even liquid versions if you want to avoid another sticky substance on your teeth. Take a few drops and mix them into beverages or food.

6. Potato Chips

Chips are cunning. They stick to your teeth like dried fruit and gummies. It's something you don't consider.

The starch in the potatoes is converted into sugar. The sugar is then metabolized by your body into acid. So, if you enjoy a bag of chips every now and then, wash them down with plenty of water and floss afterward.

Cleaning your teeth immediately after a sticky snack may help prevent decay.

7. Sports Drinks

Yes, sports drinks help to replenish electrolytes after a strenuous workout. But keep in mind that those beverages are high in sugar.

It's one thing to have a sports drink now and then. However, if it is part of your regular workout routine, read the ingredients. You'd be surprised at how much sugar is in some of these drinks. So, instead of reaching for a sugary sports drink after a strenuous workout, reach for water.

8. Alcohol

Aside from staining and sugar, alcohol dries out your mouth, increasing your risk of cavities. According to some evidence, alcohol use disorder may also increase the risk of gum disease.

There's a reason your mouth is salivating. Saliva cleans your mouth, keeps it clean, and neutralizes the mouth so that it is not acidic. But that doesn't mean you have to give up alcohol entirely. On the contrary, moderation is essential when it comes to alcohol.