4 Surprising Cavity-Causing Foods

Most children look forward to Halloween because they’re excited to dress up in costume and go door-to-door collecting candy. While these sweet treats are notorious for causing cavities, they’re not the only food that can put your family’s oral health at risk. Some other lesser-known foods and drinks are just as dangerous to your smile! That said, here are four cavity-causing foods that may surprise you with how much they contribute to decay.

Saltines

Surprisingly enough, saltine crackers are fairly bad for your teeth! It’s composed primarily of carbohydrates and starches, making the snack nearly as detrimental to your smile as sugar. They both work very similarly by stimulating bacterial growth and encouraging bacteria to eat away at your enamel. When you eat saltines, they crush into a fine powder and cover every nook and cranny in your mouth. As a result, it can be difficult to eliminate all the food particles in your teeth, leaving you susceptible to issues like cavities and decay.

Raisins

While raisins provide many nutritional benefits to a person, they’re still naturally very high in sugar content. In fact, they contain nearly as much sugar as a candy bar or soda! When you eat them, the bacteria in your mouth will produce a harmful acid that attacks your enamel. To make things worse, they’re also a very sticky snack. Raisins can cling to the surface of your teeth for a long time and cause even more damage.

Cough Syrup

Believe it or not, cough syrup contains an excessive amount of sugar. It’s to the point where diabetics have to be careful not to give themselves a dangerous spike in their blood sugar levels! Additionally, there is no definite proof that over-the-counter cough medicines are even effective at treating coughs. Next time you want to give your little one some cough syrup, you may want to think again.

Alcoholic Beverages

One of the main reasons why alcohol is bad for your oral health is that it gives you a dry mouth. Because salvia is essential in keeping your mouth healthy, inadequate production can cause bacteria to grow exponentially faster, leading to more cavities. When your mouth becomes a drier-than-normal environment, it becomes the breeding ground for bacteria. That’s why you should alternate your drinks with water and stay as hydrated as possible.

Don’t worry – you don’t have to stop eating these cavity-causing foods! As long as you consume them in moderation, you can keep your smile happy and healthy for years to come.

About the Practice

At Blue Coast Dental Group, we are passionate about helping patients achieve their very best smiles. Our team values patient education to ensure everyone is making confident and well-informed decisions for their oral health. To learn more about the negative effects of these cavity-causing foods, visit our website or call (310) 424-3100.