While you might think that limiting sugar intake will preserve your smile and oral health, sweets aren’t the only foods that threaten your teeth. There’s another element that you should keep an eye out for: acid.

Unfortunately, many foods and beverages contain elevated acid levels, from coffee to spaghetti sauce. These acidic foods can wreak havoc if left unchecked, causing everything from stains to tooth erosion. While you don’t need to avoid these foods entirely, limiting them and enjoying them in moderation can help preserve your beautiful smile. Here’s what you need to know about tooth erosion and the role that acid plays in oral health.

Tooth Erosion Basics

Your teeth are protected by a hard outer layer of enamel. This strong material stands up to the daily tasks of biting and chewing, but isn’t invincible. Whether due to diet or poor oral health, your enamel can erode over time, leaving you susceptible to cavities, infection, and other risks. 

You can tell that your enamel might be eroding if you notice discoloration, increased sensitivity, or even pain when biting and chewing. Perhaps the worst part is that tooth erosion is permanent and cannot be reversed naturally, making you vulnerable to serious dental problems unless you seek dental care.

That’s why keeping up with routine dental visits is so important—it can help spot these issues early so you can take action to protect your dental health, such as improving your brushing practices or adjusting your diet to avoid or minimize acidic foods and beverages.

The role of acidic foods on tooth enamel.

Enamel is particularly susceptible to acid. In fact, the primary cause of tooth decay is the natural acid that’s secreted by bacteria in your mouth as they break down food. However, your enamel is also susceptible to acid in food and drinks. In both cases, acid wears away at the calcium, potassium, and magnesium in your enamel, dissolving these elements and weakening the structural integrity of the surface.

Before the erosion fully takes hold, this demineralization stage can be reversed. Your teeth will restore these minerals naturally, and brushing and flossing can help manage and mitigate bacteria levels, preventing cavities and decay. However, persistently consuming acidic foods and drinks can result in irreversible erosion, requiring a dental professional to take action to restore the tooth.

5 Ways Acidic Foods Impact Oral Health

There are many different types of acidic foods that can affect your smile, including coffee, tomatoes, and lemons. If you include too many of these foods in your diet, then you could find yourself dealing with various oral health issues, including the following:

1. Increased Sensitivity

Inside your teeth are sensitive pulp and nerve tissue that can respond negatively to hot, cold, and sweet food and drink. While your enamel normally protects these areas, they become exposed to irritants as the protective surface starts to demineralize and erode. As a result, you could find yourself feeling pain when enjoying your favorite foods.

2. Discoloration

Acidic foods, such as coffee, soda, and tomatoes can rapidly contribute to discoloration. Acid allows staining compounds to penetrate into enamel more effectively, causing stronger and more persistent stains.

3. Altered Fillings

Acidic foods can also impact dental restorations, like fillings—but in different ways. As the surrounding natural enamel wears away, your filling will not. This can leave an uneven surface, increasing the risk of damage to the filling. It also opens the door to bacteria getting around and underneath the filling.

4. Cavity Risk

Enamel erosion opens the door to cavities, one of the most common oral health issues. As your enamel wears away, uneven pits can form and provide a growing area for bacteria, which secrete additional acid and cause further wear. As this cavity grows and extends deeper into the tooth, you can face significant oral health issues.

5. Extreme Cases

Tooth decay can spread rapidly and deeply, potentially exposing the pulp and nerve tissue to bacteria. When this soft tissue gets infected, you may need a root canal to remove the tissue. If this treatment is delayed, a painful abscess can form around the tooth roots, potentially requiring extraction and posing a risk of spreading the infection.

The dental care in Alaska you need to protect your smile.

As you can see, acidic foods can have a major impact on your oral health and leave you with an unappealing smile. If you’re not careful, you potentially face increased sensitivity, discoloration, damage to fillings, cavities, and severe issues like infection. 

However, there are steps you can take to safeguard your smile. Routine visits to your dentist near Anchorage, Alaska, can protect your smile, and treatments, such as tooth whitening, can enhance its appeal. Book your next appointment with Valley Dental Clinic today to get the best care for your smile.