Dentures and Dentist

Dental Trouble | 3 Tactics To Protect Teeth After Consuming High Acid Foods

17 August 2016

Julian Andrews

Sugary and acidic foods can be particularly harsh on teeth because they eat away at protective teeth enamel layers and eventually break down teeth. Acid is present in several types of foods, including vegetables and fruits. This guide equips you with smart tactics to protect your teeth when you consume high acid foods. If you have eaten a lot of acidic foods, make sure you visit your dentist every once in a while to prevent premature tooth erosion.

Don't Brush Your Teeth Once You Eat Or Drink Acidic Foods

If you eat or drink anything acidic, don't make the mistake of brushing your teeth immediately. Acidic foods and drinks are known to soften teeth enamel, which means that they will cut through the surface more easily with the abrasive brushing process. Once teeth enamel breaks down, your teeth will become prone to decay and erosion. If you wait for a while after eating, saliva works to re-instate hard enamel. Saliva also helps to rebuild any minerals that have been lost because of acidic food consumption.

Consume Acidic Food And Drinks During Meal Times Only

Drinks like lemon juice, orange juice and wine are highly acidic. Similarly, foods like cashews, walnuts, pumpkin, processed foods and some dairy products contain high amounts of acid in them. High acidic beverages can sometimes aid with the digestive process because they help to ease heartburn. Consuming them as snacks throughout the day can result in damage to your teeth, but you could consider limiting consumption to meal times only to ease heartburn and to protect your teeth. Eating acidic foods during meal times only reduces constant teeth contact and counterbalances the high acidic content by combining it with other types of foods during meals. You can discuss changing your diet with your dentist if you think that high acid foods are impacting your enamel.

Rinse Your Mouth Using Regular Water After Eating Foods With High Acid Content

Once you have finished eating or drinking foods with high acid content, you should ideally rinse your mouth using regular water. Rinse your mouth a few times. Follow this up by drinking a whole glass of water because this will help to produce enough enamel-protecting saliva. The water and saliva in your mouth helps to protect tooth enamel, so make sure you keep your mouth moist at all times after meals. If you leave your mouth dry, the acids will interact with your teeth enamel and destroy them over time, so a glass of water is always ideal to wash away the acid completely.

Acid erosion can cause long-term teeth damage. Follow these tactics to protect your teeth once you consume high acid foods and don't forget to visit your dentist regularly for erosion-preventing cleanups. 

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