Hello Idaho

That’s right your favorite crunchy snack is on the list! Say it aint so. Yep, potato chips.  While they’re not the absolute worst snacks for your health they do rank high up when it comes to your teeth. The reason is that the potato has lots of starch and the bacteria in your mouth that create plaque love this starchy treat even more than you do. Now take a moment and think back to the last time you ate some chips. You probably also spent a few minutes using your tongue to scrape off the pieces that were stuck to the tops and sides of your teeth. As great of a tool as your tongue is it doesn’t get all of the stuff off. You still end up with small chip pieces in the little nooks and crannies on the surface of your teeth. You also get some stuck between the teeth.  Once that happens the bacteria go to town and have a wild chip party without your permission. The result: lots of plaque builds up. The solution: make sure to floss and brush after you indulge. So now you can save your teeth and eat your chips too. You're welcome.

I Workout!

While your favorite athlete and clever marketing make you think a good sports drink is the best way to replenish your body after a good sweat, your teeth would strongly urge you to reconsider. Many sports drinks are filled with sugar. If that weren’t bad enough they also usually contain dyes and chemicals to give them that neon color we’ve all grown to expect from a sport drink. The sugar in the drink is an excellent food source for bacteria. The bacteria digest the sugar and end up releasing acids that cause cavities and erosion on your teeth. The dyes and chemicals in the sport drink also heavily stain your teeth. Next time you have one look in the mirror and smile big. You’ll probably look like you had a long make out session with a smurf. Those stains do come off but over time they will discolor your teeth and make them less white. Instead try to stick to water or at least swishing with water after every sip of the sport drink. Now please don’t use this as an excuse to skip the next workout.

Mimosa Please With No OJ

Champagnes only mixer and the number one breakfast drink also scores high on our list. While oranges are awesome and orange juice is a good source of vitamin C. It’s also a good source for harsh acids that can damage the enamel of your teeth. In fact I had a patient once whose lower teeth looked like someone had chiseled off all of the nice white enamel. After talking about his diet and lifestyle I found out that he’s a delivery man for a leading orange juice brand with unlimited access to OJ. He told me he drinks 5-6 cups of OJ per day! While he’s immune system may have been benefiting, his teeth were definitely not. The constant acid bath had caused the severe enamel erosion. Now you may not be that extreme but even daily consumption of OJ can have negative effects. If your addicted to the orange stuff make sure to drink some water right after to help neutralize the acid and minimize the negative effects.

Vitamins, Yep Vitamins?

Yea I know what you’re thinking, “You’re Crazy Dr. N”. Well let me be a little more specific before you write me off as a nut job. Chewable vitamins. These delicious little candies that are doing wonders for your body are delicious for a reason. They contain sugar. While they may also contain other minerals and good stuff they also contain lunch for the millions of bacteria naturally found in your mouth. The problem comes from the chewing part. Chewing the vitamins crushes the sugar and forces it in the little pits and fissures on the top of your teeth. These are the exact spots that most people get cavities. I would recommend switching to a vitamin that you can swallow instead of chew. This will give you the benefit of the vitamin without the potential damage to your teeth.