Which Summer Foods Can Damage Your Teeth?

Summer is here and it’s time for barbecues and vacations! Watch out, because these activities often come with delicious meals that can be damaging to your tooth enamel. As your dentist in North Little Rock, AR, we can help you protect your teeth by educating you about the foods that cause the most harm. We also provide preventative care to keep your teeth clean and healthy.

Foods With Sugar

Foods that contain a lot of sugar can be yummy, but sugar can cause tooth decay. There are a lot of summer foods that contain a lot of sugar, but some common examples include sweetened fruit salads, ice cream, popsicles sweet barbecue sauces, sodas, milk shakes, smoothies and sweet alcoholic beverages like sangria.

When eating these foods (or drinking these beverages) swish with water after taking your meal to help get some of the sugar off your tooth enamel. Brush your teeth after eating.

Foods That Stain

Foods that stain are also common in summer. Barbecue sauce, wine and summer berries are all common examples of the kinds of food that can stain your teeth. Maintaining good oral hygiene can help. Keep your teeth clean, so the staining foods will wash away easily without changing the color of the tooth enamel.

If you do eat a lot of staining foods, one way to maintain white teeth is to get your teeth whitened by your dentist. Professional tooth whitening can help restore the color of your teeth to their original beauty.

Are you eating a lot of potentially harmful foods this summer? Make an appointment for preventative dentistry in North Little Rock, AR. We can help you take care of your teeth! Call today.