10 Foods That Are Bad For Your Teeth

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If you’re like most people, maintaining a healthy smile is important to you. But did you know that there are certain foods beverages that are bad for your teeth? Following are 10 of them.

two girls drinking juiceCitrus

Citrus contains serious amounts of acid, and this can erode tooth enamel, making teeth more susceptible to decay. Rinse your mouth after enjoying a piece of citrus fruit, and consider using a straw when drinking citrus juice.

Chips

Chips break into pieces while they’re being eaten that easily become lodged between the teeth. The starch in chips gets converted to sugar in your mouth, so rinse thoroughly after eating them.

Dried Fruit

Because dried fruit is sticky, it can get stuck between the crevices of the teeth and leave behind deposits of concentrated sugars. If you love dried fruit, be sure to brush and floss after eating it.

Hard Candy

Hard candy is tough on your teeth because trying to chew it may result in broken or chipped teeth, and holding it in your mouth to dissolve literally coats your teeth with sugar. Avoid it except for on special occasions, and be sure to brush and floss after indulging.

Carbonated Beverages

Drinking carbonated beverages are another way to ensure that your teeth become coated in sugar. Using a straw helps with this, but try drinking water instead.

Alcohol

Alcohol coats the teeth with sugar, and certain kinds can leave stains. The dehydrating effect of alcohol also results in less saliva production, and saliva promotes a healthy mouth and teeth.

Energy Drinks

Although most people don’t associate energy drinks with sugar, most of them contain plenty of it. Rinse your mouth out afterward and consider using a straw.

Bread

Bread gets stuck between the teeth and contains a surprising amount of sugar — and the carbs it contains are actually transformed into more sugar when you chew it.

Fruit Juice

Fruit juice is another sugar-laden beverage that leaves your teeth coated in sugar, and the darker kinds can stain your teeth as well.

Crackers

Crackers have the same issues as chips and bread — their starch turns to sugar, and they easily get stuck between your teeth. As with other food and beverage item that potentially harm the teeth, rinse thoroughly, or better yet, brush and floss after indulging.

Please don’t hesitate to give us a call for more information on cultivating a healthy mouth and teeth.

Anesthesia in Dentistry: An Overview

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Dentists use different types of anesthesia to ensure comfort and pain-free dental treatment for certain procedures. For some patients experiencing dental fear or dental anxiety, sedatives may also be administered alongside anesthesia to help keep them soothed and calm. Anesthetics may keep a patient numb for many hours, though it depends mainly on metabolism and levels of physical activity. Most procedures that require anesthesia will require that a patient avoid food or drink for a few hours preceding the dental visit.

Local Anesthesia, General Anesthesia, and Conscious Sedation

Local anesthesia refers to a group of anesthetics that focus on numbing a limited area of the body or a body part. Novocaine is a widely known type of local anesthetic that was commonly used in the past by dentists. It has been routinely replaced in modern medicine by anesthetics like lidocaine or articaine, which are ultimately more effective and reduce risk of allergic reactions. In dentistry, a local anesthetic is commonly administered via needle to the affected area, or near the affected area, of the mouth.

General anesthesia is typically only used for more intensive procedures or surgeries, and results in the intentional loss of consciousness for the patient while he or she is heavily sedated. Sometimes it can be administered for less complicated procedures, such as in children, high anxiety patients, or patients who do not have full mobile control of their movements.

Conscious Sedation is an offshoot of general anesthesia that heavily sedates a patient while they remain conscious through a procedure, making them feel calm and relaxed. A patient remains awake and aware, however, conscious sedation limits their abilities to respond to speech or movement. Conscious sedation may be applied to a patient via needle, gas, or pill. Nitrous oxide (or “happy gas”, as it is commonly known) is a type of conscious sedation dentists may use.

Why Having Regular Dental Checkups Is So Important

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Your Sugarland dentist recommends that you come in for regular dental checkups for a good reason. Your dentist wants to help ensure that you receive the best possible dental care over your lifetime. If you are wondering why having regular dental checkups is so important, here’s why:

Gum Disease Progresses Slowly Over Time

Gum disease is a terrible condition where your gums and teeth deteriorate. Left unchecked and untreated, gum disease can leave you with gaps, missing teeth, and worse. However, gum disease progresses slowly over a long period of time. If you have regular dental checkups, you ‘ll not need to fear gum disease because your Texas dentist will be able to spot the early signs of the disease. With this early diagnosis and treatment, you’ll have your best chances of being able to avoid or recover from gum disease.

There are Lots of Preventative Treatments

New dental treatments are being designed every day. When you have regular dental appointments, your dentist will have the opportunity to keep you abreast of the latest developments in dental care. Your dentist will also be able to offer one or more of these treatments to you as a preventative measure to help keep your teeth and gums in excellent condition. Otherwise, if you avoid the dentist, you’ll never know about potential oral health saving measures that could have saved your teeth.

Oral Disease Detection Begins in the Dentist’s Chair

Diseases such as oral cancer can take a heavy toll on your health. Even if you have relatively healthy lifestyle habits and don’t drink or smoke, you could still succumb to an oral disease such as oral cancer. Fortunately, your dentist is on the frontline of defense against such threats to your oral health. When you have regular dental checkups in Sugarland, Texas, your dentist does a lot more than check for cavities. The dentist is also checking to see if you have any other general oral health issues, such as canker sores, open wounds or fissures. These, as well as other signs, can be indicators of other, more severe problems. Just as you would have a regular physical from your physician, it’s imperative that you make appointments to have regular dental checkups.

Why delay? Take a moment now to get in touch with us to book your next dental appointment. Your comprehensive oral health depends on it!