Family gatherings over the holidays bring many opportunities to eat the foods you love. You also enjoy special beverages common during the season, as you toast the New Year. But these foods and drinks bring acidity and affect your dental hygiene. So what is the connection between dental hygiene and acidity in the mouth?
Dental Hygiene and Acidity in Your Mouth
On a daily basis, we expose ourselves to acidic foods and beverages. When we enjoy these alongside foods with lower acidity, we get some balance. Brushing our teeth and exercising other positive dental hygiene practices also protects your teeth. But acids in your mouth still cause damage 24 hours per day.
Acids in your mouth harm your teeth by eroding tooth enamel. This causes decay and discoloration. Tooth decay means you suffer cavities and need restoration like fillings. Discoloration dims your smile, making you want whiter, healthier-looking teeth.
By avoiding acidity, you prevent much of this decay and discoloration from happening. But yellowing shows deeper issues at work in your mouth. It signals weakening tooth enamel and demineralization. This leaves your dentin exposed, causing sensitivity when you brush your teeth or eat some foods.
As part of daily living, you need a strong line of defense and the ability to enjoy the bounty of foods and drinks in front of us. That is the relationship between positive dental hygiene and acidity in your mouth. You must take good care of your teeth and gums, to keep acid foods and drinks from threatening your healthy smile.
Foods with High Acidity and Foods with Low Acidity
Balancing the acidity in your mouth is easier when you combine low acidity foods with those with high acid levels. To do this, you must know the differences between these types of foods and drinks.
Low acidity foods include cheese, nuts, oatmeal, bananas, mangos, melons, and apples. Also, low in acid are eggs, brown rice, whole grains, and vegetables. Lean meats and fish also help fight acidity in your mouth.
Foods with high acidity, those causing damage, include citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits. To reduce the acids in your mouth, drink water while enjoying these fruits. Other problem foods include cranberries, pickles, tomato products, coffee, and alcohol.
One of the best methods of protecting your teeth comes from respecting the relationship between dental hygiene and acidity in your mouth. You need to brush after each meal, but wait about 20 or 30 minutes to do so. Meanwhile, chew some sugarless gum to increase your saliva production. Saliva is your body’s natural defense against these harmful acids.
Maintaining Your Best Oral Health
You need good oral health throughout each year. This includes daily oral hygiene and seeing your Orlando family dentist twice each year. By doing so, you prevent much of the damage that comes from acidic foods and drinks.
Dental services you need for your best oral health include:
In Orlando, Florida, S. Keith Mahan, DDS provides this quality dental health care for your whole family. Call S. Keith Mahan, DDS now at 407-841-7241 to schedule your first visit and start drawing the line between your best dental hygiene and acidity in your mouth.
