Dental cavities: 9 foods to avoid (no, it's not just sugar)

Contrary to what one might think, sweets are not the only cause of cavities. What are the most cariogenic foods that are best avoided to protect your teeth?

A tooth decay is a cavity in the tooth caused by bacteria in the dental plaque which produce acid attacking the tooth enamel. These bacteria feed on carbohydrates from food, so it is important to pay attention to the foods eaten and to take good care of yourself. brushing teeth after the meals.

The power cariogenic differs by nutrient. The length of time that cariogenic foods remain in contact with the teeth also plays a role. Eating caries-promoting foods several times a day puts the teeth in almost permanent contact with these cariogenic foods, especially if they are sticky and adhere to the surface of the teeth.

And contrary to what we often think, sucrose (white sugar) is not the only cause of cavities! Most foods containing carbohydrates are cariogenic, but so are the carbohydrates ofstarch (bread, cereals, potatoes, crisps, biscuits…).

Cavity-promoting foods are also those that stick to the teeth and stay in the mouth for a long time, such as fruits secs and the soft candiesthose that saliva takes a long time to dissolve (cake, fresh fruit) but also those that are acidic and demineralize the tooth.

The most cariogenic foods are thus friesTHE bananasTHE sodasand the cereal bars in addition to confectionery. Discover 9 cavity-promoting foods and ways to make them less harmful to your teeth.

2/9 – Bananas
Bananas are cariogenic foods because these fruits are rich in fermentable carbohydrates and have a strong ability to adhere to dental surfaces. Know that they are less cariogenic when consumed with milk. Milk in fact reduces the ability of the fruit to adhere and therefore its caries potential. In addition, it is also interesting for its acid-neutralizing power thanks to its contribution in mineral salts (buffering power like the buffering power of saliva).

3/9 – Cereals and cereal bars
The mixture of sugar in addition to starch, especially in sugary cereals and cookies, makes the food more cariogenic than sucrose alone. Cereal bars also stick to your teeth. However, the longer the time spent in the mouth, the greater the acid production! Avoid to keep your teeth healthy and brush your teeth after taking them occasionally.

4/9 – Aperitif cookies
Like crisps, crackers contain starch, a sugar that is broken down into metabolizable glucose by cavity-causing bacteria and sticks to teeth. It is better to limit their consumption and brush your teeth or at least rinse your mouth by drinking water after consumption.

5/9 – Chips
Crisps contain starch which breaks down into sugar and are therefore cariogenic. A study published in 2010 showed that snacking on crisps leads to a risk of cavities identical to that found with foods with a sweet taste. It is recommended to limit snacking of course and to brush your teeth afterwards if necessary to limit the risk of cavities.

6/9 – Fries
Starches subjected to cooking promote cavities. French fries have a particularly cariogenic power because they are rather sticky, and their residence time in the mouth allows acidification preparing the ground for caries. It is recommended to brush your teeth or at least rinse your mouth after eating fries.

7/9 – Fruit juice
Fruit juices, and particularly those of citrus fruits (lemon, orange) weaken the enamel because they are acidic and sweet. Sugar and acidity cause demineralization of the teeth and increase the risk of cavities. They are to be consumed in moderation. To know: if it is advisable to brush your teeth after taking fruit juice, it is recommended to wait 30 minutes before doing so to allow the saliva time to remineralize the enamel.

8/9 – Dried fruits
Dried fruits have a strong cariogenic power. Raisins in particular are among the foods with the highest index of potential carcinogenicity. They are indeed sweet and sticky. Sugar that stays on the teeth for a long time promotes cavities. Remember to brush your teeth after eating dried fruit.

9/9 – Pain
In the scale of the cariogenic power of food, bread is positioned after fries, sodas, bananas, confectionery, cereal bars, sugar. To make cariogenic foods less harmful to the teeth, it is recommended to combine it with a cariostatic food (which does not contribute to cavities). Thus, it is advisable to combine bread with a little butter or cheese during a snack (or even a small amount of dark chocolate, which has an anti-cavity action).

Source: Topsante.com by www.topsante.com.

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