The Surprising Dangers of Common Foods to Your Dental Health
Consuming carbonated beverages is a habit that many of us have, but this habit can be detrimental to our dental health. Both sodas with and without added sugar contain acids that can harm teeth. When you consume soda, the sugars in it react with the oral bacteria to produce acid, which weakens the enamel of your teeth, leading to cavities and other forms of tooth decay. This reaction lasts for 20 minutes and continues every time you have a soda, so if you’re consuming them all day, your teeth are constantly being harmed.[0]
Besides soda, other food items such as brown rice, cherries and sprouts can also be potentially toxic to our teeth. Brown rice, though considered a nutrient-dense grain, contains inorganic arsenic, which can increase your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, as well as skin, bladder, and liver cancer.[1] Cherries and other stone fruits contain cyanogenic compounds, which can convert into poisonous hydrogen cyanide.[1] Though it takes quite a few to reach a toxic level, it is best to avoid chewing and swallowing the pits. Similarly, sprouts can also be dangerous due to the conditions required to grow them.[2] Eating raw or lightly cooked sprouts can lead to food poisoning from salmonella, E. coli, or listeria.[1]
In conclusion, it is important to be aware of the dangers that certain food items can have on our dental health. The best way to maintain good oral health is to brush and floss your teeth regularly and to ensure that you are getting a variety of food items in your diet, as opposed to consuming the same thing every day.
0. “Are you addicted to Soda? Know its harmful effects before you pop another can” Free Press Journal, 27 Jan. 2023, https://www.freepressjournal.in/lifestyle/are-you-addicted-to-soda-know-its-harmful-effects-begore-you-pop-another-can
1. “8 Healthy Foods That Can Also Be Toxic—or Even Fatal” Eat This, Not That, 30 Jan. 2023, https://www.eatthis.com/toxic-foods/
2. “20 Dangerous & Deadly Foods People Around The World Still Eat” YourTango, 3 Feb. 2023, https://www.yourtango.com/self/most-deadly-dangerous-foods-from-around-world
