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You may value healthy eating to stay slim and remain in good health. But have you considered how your diet affects your teeth and gums, too? What you eat and drink impacts more than just your waistline: Your oral health is directly affected by your diet, especially if you favor foods and beverages high in sugar and carbohydrates. Tooth decay, tooth staining, and tooth sensitivity can also be caused by dietary choices. To keep your teeth and gums feeling and looking great, think twice about your meal plan.

Discolored, Yellowed Teeth

Want a bright, white smile? Watch what’s in your cup. One of the most common causes of yellowed, stained teeth is darkly pigmented beverages, like coffee, red wine, and dark soda. The pigments in these beverages seep into tiny ridges and cracks in your tooth enamel, resulting in tooth stains and discoloration. You can try professional teeth whitening to remove stains caused by coffee, red wine, tea, and other dark-colored beverages.

Tooth Decay

There is truth to the old cliche that your dentist wants you to stay away from candy! Foods high in sugar, carbohydrates, and starches contribute significantly to the occurrence of tooth decay. Sugary foods cause an attack on your teeth! When sugar mixes with the bacteria in your saliva, it reacts and produces an acid. This acid attacks your teeth to erode your tooth enamel. The enamel attack can last for more than 20 minutes after consuming sugary foods. Your tooth enamel is your tooth’s outermost layer, and its purpose is to protect your teeth from decay. When the enamel is eroded and weakened by this acid, your teeth become more susceptible to tooth decay. Sugary foods lead to cavities. Try to avoid foods high in sugar to prevent tooth decay, particularly processed foods with lots of added sugar.

Tooth Sensitivity

Your food and drink choices can also lead to tooth sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity to hot or cold is often the result of weakened tooth enamel. Consuming acidic, sugary, or starchy foods and beverages can weaken your tooth enamel.