2 Decay Promoting Foods May Contribute to Need for Affordable Dental Care

By Susan B.
Published May 05 2010

Tooth decay is on the rise in the US! Because of the quality of food Americans eat, they need to have access to the best care possible, yet affordable dental care may seem almost non-existent. Therefore, if you want to prevent going to the dentist as often, here are 2 foods that you may want to avoid in order to protect your teeth as you search for affordable dental care.

High-Acid Fruits

Consuming high-acid fruits, such as lemons, can help cause breakdown of tooth enamel. A little lemon juice here and there may not seriously affect your teeth, but, similar to sodas, a large amount of lemon consumption will damage your enamel over time and cause decay. Therefore, if you have a habit of sucking on lemons, oranges or grapefruits, you’ll want to be aware that your habit will, over time, cause the attrition of your tooth enamel.

Sugar and Sugary Foods

Gummy, sticky, refined sugars, especially those in candy, can cause a great deal of tooth decay because of the acidity they produce in your mouth, and because of the way that sugar sticks to enamel. The bacteria that already exists in your mouth may use sugar as a a form of energy to grow and glue themselves to your teeth! This growing and gluing affect makes it more difficult for bacteria to be washed away by your saliva and brushing. Reducing your sugar consumption is a great way to prevent tooth decay.

Avoiding or eliminating these foods from your diet is a great way to help prevent your need to see a dentist as often. However, if you have already experienced a fair amount of decay, you may want to investigate an affordable dental plan. When you have made a habit of consuming damaging foods, an affordable dental plan may help you get to the dentist right away to catch any problems early on.