Teeth: foods and drinks that ruin and erode the enamel

Drinks that ruin your teeth. That's right, if consumed too often, some types of soft drinks can affect the health of our teeth, starting with the enamel. But it's not just fault of the drinks.

A research by King's College London published in the British Dental Journal generally points to particularly acidic foods, as well as to the way of drinking certain acidic beverages.

According to the study, in fact, sip slightly acidic drinks such as fruit tea or sugary and light drinks (without sugar, but sweetened), or even liqueurs, can be associated with the multiplication of up to 11 times of the risk of dental erosion, or the loss of hard substance of the teeth, and this can ruin the enamel.

Specifically, the research conducted on a sample of 300 people showed that an acidic diet is to be associated in some individuals with the erosive wear of the teeth. The increase in the frequency of consumption of food acid, particularly between meals, appears to be the predominant risk factor. However, even routinely drinking acidic beverages by sipping them slowly or shaking them, rinsing or holding them in the mouth before swallowing increases the risk.

Consumption of aromas of fruit or vinegar, lemon, pickles, acidic drugs or sugar-free sweets are also potential hidden risk factors, especially for patients at risk of tooth erosion progression. And according to the researchers, the risk of tooth erosion can be increased by over 11 times.

How to combat tooth erosion? There are 8 essential points:

1. consume less acidic drinks;
2. avoid sipping them hot, but let them cool and drink them immediately;
3. use the straw (possibly in bioplastic or in reusable steel);

4. limit the consumption of these drinks during meals, because chewing favors the formation of saliva that counteracts their acidity;
5. prefer simple water and non-flavored tea;
6. decrease the daily sugar intake;
7. wait 25-30 minutes before brushing your teeth, especially after eating sweet and sour foods;
8. avoid foods listed below.

The foods to avoid

If your teeth are particularly susceptible to erosion, it is advisable to banish:

– carbonated drinks;

– sugar and honey;

– fruit, fruit juices and pulp, especially if enriched with sucrose;

– packaged foods;

– fruit jam, sweet creams and chocolate cream;

– jellies and candies;

– very acidic foods like citrus, pineapple, vinegar, wine or tomatoes.

It goes without saying, in any case, that only an expert can assess the health of your teeth and that only undergo at least once a year the professional cleaning of the teeth will keep you away from several grains.