Foods and Drinks That Damage Teeth
Sugar is the obvious culprit. Frequency and acidity do more damage than most people realize.
Frequency beats quantity
Sipping a sweet drink over two hours is far worse than drinking it in five minutes. Each sip restarts an acid attack that lasts about twenty minutes.
Acidic drinks
Sparkling water, citrus, sports drinks, wine and soda all soften enamel directly, even the sugar-free versions.
Sticky and starchy foods
Dried fruit, crackers and chips lodge in grooves and between teeth, feeding bacteria long after the meal.
Better habits
Drink water after anything acidic, use a straw for cold drinks, and wait thirty minutes before brushing so softened enamel can reharden.
Written by the team at Uptown Dentistry, led by Dr. Nicki Tajalli, DDS, in Uptown Houston. This article is general information, not a substitute for an exam.