Foods That Cause Tooth Enamel Erosion

Posted on July 24, 2017

Enamel is a vital part of your tooth. It’s one of the main tissues that make up your tooth, acting as the most visible part of your tooth. Your tooth enamel is one of the most vulnerable parts of your teeth. When it comes to aesthetic dentistry, we focus on the importance of your enamel and how it affects your teeth. Most San Francisco patients don’t realize that over time your enamel can erode, causing chips and discoloration in your teeth. This is normal and inevitable, however with proper brushing and avoiding certain foods, you can slow down the erosion of your enamel, resulting in lasting, healthy teeth.

At Skoulas, DDS, we want our San Francisco patient’s’ teeth to be strong and durable. This is why even if your enamel is eroded we can fix the problem. But we recommend trying to prevent the erosion as much as possible. Preventing enamel erosion can be done by avoiding certain foods and beverages. Specifically, foods high in acid that tear down enamel. As a result, your teeth will be yellowish and dingy in color instead of beautifully white. Our San Francisco aesthetic dentistry professionals recommended avoiding these foods and beverages:

• Coffee: Everyone knows that coffee usually results in staining your teeth. This is typically due to the brownish, dark color of the coffee or espresso. Avoid drinking coffee excessively to keep your teeth’s white coloring intact.
• Tomatoes and tomato-based products: A lot of these products are high in acid which will result in wear and tear of your enamel.
• Pickles: Aesthetic dentistry experts also recommend avoiding pickles because of their high acid content.
• Ice: Although technically not food, do not chew or ice eat. Chewing on hard substances such as ice causes your teeth’s enamel to break down more.
• Citrus foods: In general, citrusy foods have a lot of acid. This will cause your enamel to erode very quickly, leading to tooth decay and other dental issues.
• Soda: Soft drinks and soda have a lot of sugar and carbonation that are bad for your teeth. These also include acid which wears down your teeth’s enamel over time.
• Alcohol: Alcohol can also have an effect on your teeth. When you drink alcohol such as wine or liquor, usually you become dehydrated. This results in dry mouth, which will lead to less saliva. Ultimately, this is bad for your teeth because they end up being more exposure to enamel erosion and tooth decay.

However, if you simply can’t do without these foods or drinks, it doesn’t mean you have to give them up completely. Just remember that if you do consume these types of foods and beverages, try not to brush your teeth right after so that you can help protect your enamel. Brushing immediately after will actually break down your teeth even more. Acidic foods start to weaken your teeth by demineralizing your enamel. If you brush your teeth right after, you will only weaken your teeth more, which will ultimately lead to tooth decay.

If you’d like to know more about foods that cause tooth enamel erosion, please contact us at our San Francisco office at (415) 757-0110. Our aesthetic dentistry professionals would love to talk with you.