Oral health is an important part of your overall well-being. Chances are you already know that your diet can affect your dental health; as they say, “you are what you eat.”

That being said, do you know which parts of your daily diet could put your dental health at risk? While it's impossible for most people to cut out all those dangerous foods and drinks to eat 100 % clean, it's important to know how to minimize the potential dangers.

To help you, here are ten foods that affect your oral health:

Soft drinks

Syrupy drinks like soda can affect your long-term dental health. Carbonated drinks such as sports drinks and sodas are full of sugar and additives that can cause cavities to form on your teeth.

That's why it's important to drink plenty of water after sipping carbonated drinks for long periods of time.

Note that even diet sodas should also be avoided. Even though diet sodas don't contain as much sugar as non-diet sodas, that doesn't mean they lack acidity.

Coffee and tea

A beautiful shade of brown is left in your smile when you regularly consume coffee and tea. The problem is that they can also make your teeth sticky if they are sweet. This means more food particles can attach to your teeth.

If you really want to drink coffee and tea, try to avoid add-ons like syrups. Also, drink plenty of water after sipping them.

Citrus

If you really want to achieve and maintain good dental health, sucking on lemons is a really bad idea. This is because you bathe your teeth in acid if you suck on lemons, which is harmful to your dental health.

When eaten alone, tomatoes, lemons, limes and other acid-rich foods promote tooth decay. However, that doesn't mean you should completely drop these foods from your diet. The truth is that they have nutritional value and you can benefit from them provided they are prepared with a meal.

Remember that it is important to buffer the acid by rinsing your mouth with water after eating citrus or any other acidic food.

Dehydrated fruits

Dehydrated fruits are not a good choice for your diet. Numerous studies have proven that eating a fruit high in sugar can lead to poor dental health as well as a number of other health issues.

Compared to snack fruits, dried fruits are more nutritious. However, that doesn't take away from the fact that they're still high in sugar and sticky. If you decide to eat them, you should definitely brush and floss your teeth right after.

hard candies

As the most popular form of candy in the world, hard candies have long been a source of controversy. Although it has been around for years, it is only now that the scientific community has begun to study its impact on people's dental health.

This controversy is rooted in the fact that hard candies have been considered one of the main causes of cavities-related diseases. A hard candy can take up to ten minutes to dissolve. Be aware that hard candy can also cause cuts on the inside of your mouth.

With its high sugar content, it's no surprise that hard candies affect dental health. In fact, it has even been proven to cause tooth decay and cavities in people who consume it regularly. It has also been found that there are strong links between the consumption of hard candy and gum disease.

Gum disease is an oral problem caused by periodontal pockets under the gums. If these pockets are left alone, it can lead to tooth loss. However, if allowed to grow large enough, they can cause periodontal disease, dental abscesses, and cracked teeth.

Peanut butter and jam

Many people don't realize that peanut butter and jam can damage teeth. Indeed, they are sticky and they are often made with sugar.

You can lessen the problem by trying natural peanut butter instead. These are the ones with no added sugar. Jam is also loaded with sugar. You might say that fruit jam brands are safe.

However, they still contain natural sugars that promote bacteria and plaque if not rinsed off immediately.

potato crisps

White bread, corn chips, potato chips, and other starchy foods can get stuck between your teeth. When trapped, they feed on the bacteria that can cause dental plaque.

That being said, it is best to reduce your starch intake to improve oral health.

Pop corn

Why does popcorn affect dental health? The cause of the damage is the popcorn itself, as it can be extremely hard on your teeth, causing lots of cavities and cracks.

The buttery puffy pieces of popcorn get stuck between your teeth when you eat them, thus promoting the growth of bacteria.

To prevent this from happening, brush your teeth properly with a soft toothbrush. This will prevent plaque buildup, preventing cavities from developing.

Ice

If you love chewing ice cream, you might have forgotten that ice cream is actually for cold weather and it's not something you should be chewing.

Even though it contains no sugar and is made of water, it's important to remember that chewy substances can make your beloved teeth vulnerable to dental emergencies, like a cracked tooth.

Final Thoughts

One of the best things anyone can do for healthy teeth is to educate themselves about foods that have negative effects on dental health. Brushing and flossing should not be neglected either.

Hopefully, this article has made you realize how important it is to be aware of what you eat. Again, you are what you eat, so it's best to avoid foods that can damage your body as much as possible.