Sour foods are bad for our teeth. They can cause serious damage to our pearly whites. No matter how pleasant flavour and texture they have, the sourness in them can be harmful for your dental health. The acidity inherent in sour foods can damage the enamel on teeth beyond repair. So, it’s better to stay away from these foods to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Don’t ever feel tempted to eat sour items and even if you can’t resist the temptation, make it a point to increase your oral care for negate their negative effects. Only then can you maintain your dental health.
Sour foods can affect your teeth in many ways, including –
Damage to the enamel
All acidic foods are bad for your teeth. The less you consume them the better for your dental health. The same holds true for sour items as their acidity has the potential to damage the enamel of your teeth in a big manner. The acid level present in these foods can dissolve the enamel instantly after you consume sour item. And you know how much value the hard and outer layer of tooth has in terms of dental protection. So, stop consuming acidic items altogether or reduce their intake to maintain dental health and to keep the enamel intact.
Harm to cheeks and gums
Sour foods are not only bad for your tooth enamel, but they can also cause great harms to your cheeks and gums as well. They are very acidic in nature with a low pH level which can actually burn your gums and cheeks. And when that happens, there will be a greater possibility of tooth loss. The sourness can weaken your gums gradually, wears away the insides of the cheeks and this can pose tooth decay risks over time. And when the gums and cheeks weaken, your teeth will lose the strength and vigour that keep them fixed in place, thereby causing their loss sooner rather than later.
Risk of permanent tooth loss
It takes regular care to keep your teeth healthy and strong. Eating sour foods is akin to weakening your tooth structure and causing them premature loss. The acid in such foods can severely impact the gums and in some cases, the damage can be so intense to lead to tooth loss of permanent variety. For that reason, children who eat candies more often are more at risk for losing their tooth/teeth early than the rest. You must focus on minimizing the risks of acid your teeth as only this can help maintain dental health.
Prolonged acid attack on teeth
Sucking or chewing sour foods like candies increase the likelihood of prolonged acid attack on the teeth. such an attack can last some 20 minutes and prove extremely damaging to tooth structure. Holding the candy or food in the mouth means you give more chance to acid to attack and this is how more damage is caused. And if you’re not careful about oral care, the risks then multiply and put you on the path of tooth decay sooner than you expect. So, stay away from sour foods and keep your teeth healthy.
Tooth erosion due to ignorance
Sour foods can lead to tooth erosion for their acidic level and also for ignoring the obvious signs of erosion. Sensitivity and discoloration are quite common to tooth erosion which many people ignore. Some also ignore the transparency of the front teeth and don’t take the biting edges seriously. There may also be cracks and roughness along the teeth edges which you must not ignore. All this indicates that the protective layer of the enamel is eroding, and you must seek treatment immediately. This is how acidic foods are bad and it’s always good to stay clear of them to maintain dental health.
No attempt to neutralize the acids
The acid in foods can harm less if you take attempt to neutralize them. You can swish your mouth with water or eat cheese after consuming sour foods and this will keep the damage to the minimum possible level. Don’t brush for close to an hour after consuming acidic foods and if possible, chew sugar-free gum to help saliva keep the enamel protected. And yes, consult your dentist tooth cavity treatment if the erosion is already started.
Author Bio:
Sawoni Chowdhury is an aficionado of writing. She is an expert writer and blogger and shares her views and opinions on a range of topics such as Lifestyle, Business, Entertainment and lot more.
