Dentists warn: it’s best not to eat and drink these things right now
At home, they’re going crazy because of me (for several reasons). One of them: I’m rather obsessed with brushing my teeth. And it’s not just for aesthetic reasons. Because, as I learned from my dentist: your mouth plays a very important role in your overall health. So there are some things you really should avoid.
To find out what those things are, I called Paulien Buyn, dental hygienist and children’s dental care specialist at Tandheelkundig Centrum Abcoude. “Because we were all stuck at home during corona, we ate and drank a lot more. Completely understandable, but there are some things you really should avoid—even without corona lockdowns. Not only because you don’t want to grow completely out of shape or become an alcoholic, but also consider what all those products do to your teeth and molars.”
Popcorn, ouch
Paulien: “Be aware of what you eat. Hard products, such as seeds from whole-grain bread, popcorn, hard candies and pitted olives can all cause fillings to break more quickly. Especially if you have a weak molar, it’s not very smart to eat a bowl of popcorn containing hard pieces. In any case, be careful with popcorn, because the hulls can get under your gums and cause nasty inflammation.”
“And do you have a temporary crown in your mouth? Chewing gum and toffees can easily pull a temporary crown loose. So don’t!”
Don’t drink this
“It’s no longer news that soft drinks are bad for you. But lemon or malic acid is also added to juices, and fruit juices such as orange juice and apple juice also contain acid that is masked by the sugar in them. This makes them taste sweet, so you don’t realize that they’re actually very acidic. If you still want to drink sour fruit beverages, use a straw or keep the drink in your mouth for as short a time as possible. So don’t swish it around in your mouth, and rinse your mouth with water or milk after drinking acidic beverages to neutralize the acid.”
The biggest culprit
“And the biggest culprits (especially among teenagers) are sports and energy drinks. A 250 ml can may contain around seven to twelve sugar cubes! And did you think it was a great idea to sip carafes of water with lime or lemon at your desk? Don’t! All those acids are disastrous for your teeth.”
“Don’t just think about acidic drinks; also consider, for example: apple syrup, jam and acidified foods such as salad dressing, mayonnaise and pickles. And vitamin C products (think of lemonade syrup with added vitamin C) are already mildly acidic themselves and are often flavored by adding sweetener and, for example, citric acid.”
And don’t forget this…
“Also try not to have more than seven eating and/or drinking moments a day. Quite difficult if, for example, you work from home all day. But it really is important for keeping your mouth and teeth healthy. Don’t eat or drink acidic products in the hour before brushing your teeth. The surface of your teeth and molars becomes softer when exposed to acid, meaning that if you brush immediately after eating or drinking something acidic, you can brush away the enamel layer. This causes erosion (wearing away of the teeth and molars due to acids).”
Finally: always brush your teeth twice a day, use a soft (electric) toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. And clean the spaces between your teeth and molars once a day.
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