Any food can contribute to cavities if you fail to brush and floss your teeth adequately, but some foods are more cariogenic than others. Here are three foods that can give you cavities.

Dried Fruit

Fruit is a healthy snack—it contains essential vitamins like vitamin C—but when it's dried, it can pose dangers to your teeth. This is because the sugar in dried fruit is very concentrated, and sugar provides food for the bacteria in your mouth. When these bacteria feed on sugar, they make acids that eat away at your teeth. Fresh fruit has a higher water content, so the sugar is less concentrated and less of a concern for your teeth.

Additionally, dried fruit tends to stick to your teeth. Since these snacks stick to your teeth, they give the bacteria inside your mouth a greater opportunity to feed and produce acids.

Bread

Bread—even the healthy whole-grain varieties—can contribute to the formation of cavities. This is because bread contains carbohydrates, which provide food for the cavity-causing bacteria inside your mouth. Plus, bread can easily get stuck in the pits and fissures (grooves) of your molars, and when a food remains in your mouth for a long period, it tends to cause cavities.

This doesn't mean that you can't eat bread any more. However, you do need to make sure that you brush your teeth after eating a meal that contains bread to ensure that no food is stuck in your pits and fissures.

Sticky Candies

Foods that adhere to the surface of your teeth are more likely to contribute to cavity formation. While less-sticky foods may be washed off of your teeth by your saliva, sticky foods will stay in place until you get a chance to brush your teeth. Sticky candies like gummies or toffees can have this affect on your teeth.

Instead of sticky candies, try to stick to hard candies that can't get stuck in your teeth. To protect your teeth, choose sugar-free hard candies, instead. These candies won't stick to your teeth, and since they don't have sugar, they won't provide food for the bacteria that cause cavities. However, sugar-free candies are acidic, so you should still try to limit them to avoid harming your teeth.

To keep your teeth healthy and cavity-free, try to avoid these three cariogenic foods. If you think you already have a cavity, see your dentist for treatment right away.

For more information, contact Edwardsville Family Dentist or a similar location.

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