AmeriPlan USA® Dental and Health Plans

Tooth Decay and Acidic Foods.

Irreversible tooth decay can be caused by eating too many of the wrong types of food. Having good dental insurance may protect you from the expense of treatment, but how many times have we heard that prevention is better than cure? We know that tooth decay is caused by sugars, but less well know are some of the other foods which can cause as much damage to your teeth.

Better Known Tooth-Decaying Foods Include:

• Soda and carbonated soft drinks – both regular and diet.
• Most brands of energy drink.
• Juices.
• Confectionery and candy.

The above are all sugar-rich foods. Plaque and bacterial growth result primarily from the consumption of sugary foods. Foods containing acid can also cause major problems in your mouth. Some acidic foods include:

• Most fruits.
• Pickles.
• Sauerkraut.
• Jams.
• Yogurt.

Often acidic foods will not strike us as causing tooth decay, as they may be good for us in other ways.

Wine taken in moderation, particularly red wine, acts as an antioxidant and may be good for the heart. Grapes and wines also contain tartaric acid. Tartaric acid causes a sharpness of taste, and is naturally occurring in grapes.

Certain acidic foods form part of a healthy diet – especially fruit – but they also contain acids which are harmful to our teeth. Malic acid is an intermediary in the citric acid cycle and found mainly in unripe fruits. Malic acid is the ingredient that makes fruits sour. Too much malic acid consumption can cause mouth irritation.

As already mentioned, soda and carbonated soft drinks contain sugar but they also contain phosphoric acid. In the food industry, phosphoric acid is used as an additive to create a tart flavour. The health effects of this acid are the subject of some controversy.

Foods such as sauerkraut and pickles are preserved in vinegar – acetic acid – or in brine which produces lactic acid. Lactic acid is found primarily in sour milk products such as yoghurt, cottage cheese and koumiss.

You would be right in thinking that foods such as fruits, yogurt and even red wine (in moderation!) are good for you. What dental problems can be caused by these foods?

The above foods all contain acid in some form, which is what can cause damage to the enamel of teeth. The thin hard tissue forming the outer layer of the tooth is your tooth enamel. The job of the enamel is to prevent the wearing down of the tooth by providing structural protection.

Acid softens the enamel causing it to dissolve. As the enamel thins and loses its shape, the dentin underneath becomes exposed. The dentin underneath is what makes teeth look yellow, as it is darker in colour.

Control the Effects of Acidic Foods on your Teeth.

Acidic foods should not be eliminated from your diet, however, as often they can possess health benefits too. It means you should be aware of what goes in your mouth and what stays there. You can help to prevent tooth decay by developing your own dental care routine.

If you want to prevent the acids from wine, crisps or fruit, for example, from attacking your teeth, the best way is to rinse your mouth with water after consumption. Whatever you do, you should not brush your teeth straight away.

Brushing straight away could cause severe damage to the layer of enamel covering your teeth, which will still be soft from the acids in these foods. If you have already been doing this directly after meals, check with your dentist if your enamel is okay. If there are no signs of decay, you should find that a good polish will bring them back to colour and tip-top condition.

Drinking fruit juices or soda through a straw will reduce the amount of contact between the drink and your teeth, and is another way you can control the acid in your mouth. Just please don’t drink wine in this way – the results could be disastrous!

You can also help prevent tooth decay by chewing sugar-free gum – this stimulates the flow of saliva which in turn helps to wash bacteria away. Practising good dental hygiene will help to minimise the damage caused to your teeth by food acids.

Your dentist will advise you if acidic foods are causing decay to your teeth. For those that have UK dental insurance, UK policies often cover the cost of both routine check-ups and hygienist visits too. Make an appointment today with your dentist for a check-up.