FOODS THAT ARE GOOD FOR THE BODY AND DANGEROUS TO THE BODY
In the world of foods, a lot of weirdos apply. It turned out that many
foods that benefit the body are harmful to the teeth. Here’s a list of
some of such foods…
MILK
Nutritionists note that milk is a
healthy source of calcium. Other top sources of this mineral are
cheese, turnip greens, oranges, and broccoli; but milk not only has the
most calcium, it’s also a great source of vitamin D, riboflavin,
carotene, and retinol, among others.
However, despite these numerous
pluses, milk can wreak havoc on your teeth — that is if you take much
milk while you are careless with oral hygiene! A dentist, Dr. Deola
Olonilua, says the lactose (a form of sugar) in milk rots the teeth as
much as frizzy drinks do.
She warns that even though certain foods
are healthy, the presence of certain elements or minerals in then can
damage the teeth when the eater has prolonged exposure to such foods.
She
says, “Milk has a sugar in it called lactose. The lactose in milk can
be especially dangerous for children if they have it just before
bedtime. This is because the milk will still be on their teeth as they
sleep, and the sugars are converted to acids by oral bacteria. The acids
can coat the teeth and consequently eat away at the tooth enamel. That
is one of the ways people develop cavities.”
She advises that people
should not hit the bed immediately after taking milk. Rather, she
counsels, “You should rinse your mouth thoroughly after taking milk, or
better still, brush your teeth as the last thing before bed.
LEMON
Though
lemon drinks have detoxifying and other benefits, it can affect your
teeth in many ways than one. Lemon contains citric acid, which, dentists
say, causes enamel erosion and other dental problems.
The online
portal,1 800dentist.com , states, “Drinking lemon juice can put you at
risk for tooth erosion, a condition where the thin, protective layer of
enamel slowly wears away from your teeth. Lemon juice contains acid,
which irritates gums and softens tooth enamel.”
Experts warn that
frequent consumption of products that contain acid will eventually
destroy the enamel and expose underlying dentin, leaving your teeth
vulnerable to sensitivity and tooth decay.
“Enamel erosion is one of
the most common causes of cavities and tooth loss. This is because when
you feast on these fruits for a long period, it means you are constantly
bathing your teeth in acid and sugar; this will not allow your saliva
to wash it away and neutralise the acids,” Olonilua says.
Other
fruits in this category include ORANGE, APPLE and GRAPEFRUIT JUICE. The
dentist says since these fruits also contain natural sugars, the best
bet is to thoroughly rinse the mouth after taking them.
DRIED FRUITS
In
these days of eating on-the-go, dried fruits come in handy, as you can
munch them at any time of the day. Plus, they are available all the year
round, and you can stock up on them without any fear that they would
rot.
However, experts say though dried fruits have admirably long shelf life, their detrimental effects on the teeth are enormous.
Olonilua
says, “Dried fruits can be harmful to the teeth because of their
concentrated sugar content and stickiness. When you eat dried fruits,
parts of them can easily adhere to the teeth, while the sugar in them
encourages bacteria to thrive in the mouth. This is very likely to erode
tooth enamel.”
Scientists contend that since dried fruits are packed
with non-soluble cellulose fibre, they can bind and trap sugars on and
around the tooth, making it worse than sweets. They advise that after
taking dried fruit, brush immediately; and if you have no access to
brush, rinse your mouth thoroughly while running your tongue all over
your teeth.
RED WINE
When taken in moderation, wine is said to benefit the heart immensely. But then, wines do wreck havoc on teeth also.
Take
the red wine, for instance, which, experts say, is a tasty mix of
natural dyes, acids, and tannin. These three ingredients leave lasting
effects on teeth, as they can contribute to teeth stain.
Researchers
say saliva in our mouth helps to wash away food particles and protect
against acidic foods. However, wine contains alcohol, and alcohol
suppresses the production of saliva. When this happens frequently, it is
harmful for teeth and it may lead to gum disease. In extreme cases, it
may lead to oral cancer, experts warn.
A group of New York University
researchers warn that if taken in excess, the acidic composition of
wines can dissolve the enamel, make teeth porous and easily stained.
Another
study published in the journal Nutrition Research states that different
types of wine may have a more negative impact on your teeth than
others.
WHITE WINE
The study shows that white wine has an
acid content that tends to increase the risk of dark dental stains if
you also drink tea or similar beverages
SOURCE:http://www.punchng.com/health/healthwise/these-foods-benefit-the-body-but-harm-the-teeth
No comments:
Post a Comment