Foods That Can Cause Gum Disease and Tooth Decay By Roger B. Parkes, DMD on January 09, 2017

It’s a saturday afternoon and you sit down to watch the TV series you’ve been binge watching. When you sit down to watch, you probably bring your favorite snack and beverage with you. However, you should know that, depending on your choice, it could be damaging the health of your teeth and gums. Good oral hygiene is imperative to good oral health, but your diet also plays a role. Due to this, the team at Periodontal Associates of Jackson wants to provide a list of food and beverages that might be wreaking havoc to your oral health. These foods and drinks can cause tooth decay, tooth discoloration, gum disease, and more!

3 Foods That Can Damage Your Mouth

1.) Acidic Fruits: 

Generally, fruit is great for your overall health. Fruit is a great provider or vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are great for our health. While fruits are great, you should be aware of fruits that contain a lot of acid. These fruits include lemons, oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, and more! 

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2.) Sticky Sweets: 

Do you like foods like taffy, jelly beans, or gummies? Foods that you have to chew on and chew on to eat can be extremely harmful to your health. These snacks are often full of sugar and remain stuck in your teeth for hours. If you enjoy these treats, try to brush, floss, and use mouth wash as close to eating these foods as possible.  

3.) Crunchy Foods: 

Foods that contain a lot of starch tend to have particles that remain in your back molars well after consumption. These foods include pretzels, potato chips, cheese curls, and more! 

3 Beverages That Can Damage your Mouth

1.) Caffeinated Beverages: 

Dry mouth is one of the leading contributors to gum disease and tooth decay. Caffeine is a huge contributor to dehydration which, in turn, causes dry mouth. In addition to this, caffeinated beverages often contain acids and sugars.  

2.) Sports Drinks: 

While doing physical activity, these drinks are a great provider of electrolytes for your body. However, if you constantly drinks these drinks, you can cause harm to your mouth. These drinks contain a great deal of sugars, syrups, and food coloring. 

3.) Alcohol:

No matter what type of alcohol you enjoy, they can damage your oral health. Like caffeine, alcohol severely dehydrates you.

Dr. Parkes and the team at Periodontal Associates of Jackson in Jackson, MS hope that these helpful hints and tips can help you have a healthier smile. In need of treatment for your gum disease? Contact us today to schedule an appointment today!

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Dr. Roger B Parkes and Dr. R. Clarke Stewart

Periodontal Associates of Jackson, P.A.

Our periodontists, Dr. Roger B. Parkes and Dr. R. Clarke Stewart are committed to providing patients in Clinton, Ridgeland, and Jackson, MS, with high-quality care in a comfortable setting. They are affiliated with several professional organizations, including:

  • American Academy of Periodontology
  • American Dental Association
  • Jackson Dental Society

To schedule a consultation at our periodontal practice, contact us online or call (601) 956-1230.

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"Thank you for everything! You have a very friendly office where people greet you by name. Everyone makes me feel at ease and welcome as if I'm the only patient you have. I am extremely pleased with the outcome of my periodontal treatment. Kudos to Dr. Parkes and his staff." Alex S.

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