Foods That May Harm Your Tooth Enamel

Taking excellent care of your dental health may not be enough to prevent dental cavities, tooth decay, and damage to the tooth enamel. Your dental health will also have a lot to do with your diet. If you mostly eat foods high in sugar and acid, brushing and flossing alone might not be enough to keep your teeth healthy and your enamel strong.

Foods That May Harm Enamel

The biggest threat to your tooth’s vulnerable enamel is acid. Highly acidic beverages and foods can pose a serious risk to your dental health, especially if you consume them on a regular basis. Acid damage is the number one cause of tooth enamel loss.

Because of this, it’s important to know the pH levels of the foods you eat. This will help you determine the alkalinity and acidity of the food to make sure it’s safe for your teeth. Foods with lower pH levels are more likely to harm the enamel than those with higher numbers.

Below is a list of some common foods and where they fall on the acidity scale.

Highly acidic foods/beverages

• Pineapple
• Lemons
• Grapefruit
• Strawberries
• Wine
• Soda

Moderately acidic foods/beverages

• Tomatoes
• Maple syrup
• Pickles
• Honey

Lowest acidic foods/beverages

• Milk
• Cheese
• Eggs

Preventing Enamel Damage

We understand that many of the highly acidic foods can be good for your body. However, it’s important to be vigilant and brush and floss after eating foods high in acid. This will decrease the amount of time the acid has to damage the enamel.

If you’re concerned about enamel damage, please make an appointment with Dr. Raisdana for a dental cleaning and a checkup. Auburn Family Dental is located here Wichita, Kansas.