We all know fruit is essential for having a healthy and well-balanced diet. It boosts your immune system. It is a perfect source of Vitamins, Minerals and antioxidants. Eating fruits reduces the risk of illnesses and chronic diseases.
Every year the number of people going to the dentist decreases by approximately 1%. This is mainly due to poor dental hygiene. Except for flossing, some of the most important things that people should do to maintain good oral health are brushing and rinsing. (We have dedicated an entire section to how to brush in our blog.) But what about fruits? Can fruit rot your teeth?
There is a common myth that consuming fruit causes tooth decay. However, this myth is based on old research. Acidic fruit can indeed cause oral problems. However, if consumed too often, rinsing your mouth and brushing your teeth is all that is needed to keep your teeth healthy!
Your teeth are made of a mineral called hydroxyapatite, the most vital mineral in your body. This mineral is physically bonded to your enamel. And therefore, when you bite into a fruit, the fruit's acids and sugars dissolve this mineral.
When this happens slowly over time, it poses no real threat to your teeth. However, suppose you bite into a fruit with an exceptionally high acid content, such as an orange. In that case, the acids can cause your teeth to become harder, resulting in cavities. This blog post is about when and how to have fruit not to harm your teeth, and it is worth reading it.
Can fruit rot your teeth? Fruit is tasty and healthy. It's what people typically reach for when they're trying to lose weight or eat more healthy, but does fruit harm your teeth? It's no secret, fruits are one of the most incredible foods for our health.
It's a natural source of nutrients that help protect against diseases. And it's also an excellent source of antioxidants. It keeps our cells and systems in healthy condition. The fruit we eat is also very rich in dietary fibre, which helps maintain a healthy digestive tract.
Dried fruit has lost most of its water, so it is very high in sugar content. As a result, sugar is more concentrated in dried fruit. More sugar can cause more cavities.
Harmful bacteria in our mouths consume the sugar of the food we eat. And produce acids as a by-product, which can cause tooth decay and resolve the mineral part of our teeth.
Dried fruit has the disadvantage of being very sticky, which means it stays on your tooth for longer than usual.
Canned fruit usually is bathed in a large amount of syrup. Even those labelled "light" still have too much syrup for your teeth. They can cause cavities if taken regularly. If you like canned fruit as a snack, make sure it doesn't have any added sugar or is packaged in 100 per cent fruit juice.
Fruit juice usually has a lot of added sugar, exceptionally if packaged for children. In fact, most of the fruit juice sold in shops has as much sugar as a can of soda, sometimes even more!!!
On the other hand, fruit juice is very acidic too. The combination of sugar and acid can harm your teeth permanently. While acid weakens tooth enamel, sugar feeds cavity-causing bacteria and contributes to decay.
Can fruit rot your teeth? As a general rule, try to eat your fruit fresh! Not only is it better for your teeth, but the fibre in whole fruit slows the absorption of sugar in the bloodstream, making it much healthier for your body.
Of course, it’s okay to have juice and dried or canned fruit every once in a while. But remember to rinse with water after and brush and floss to protect your pearly whites!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified dentist in Melbourne with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
Find out more about Oral health. To get more information about Oral health and general dentistry, please visit our video library.
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Author: Dr Minoo Ghamari
Gorgeous Smiles Dental Principal Dentist
**The content on this blog is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified dentist in Melbourne with questions you may have regarding medical conditions. For News and update, please follow us on FaceBook
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