When Does Raw Produce Have the Potential to Harm Your Oral Health?
Posted on 12/15/2018 by Moyer Office
Part of a healthy diet is eating your fruits and vegetables, and this is true for oral health as well. Your mouth needs the vitamins and minerals that fresh produce provides. But can those delicious snacks ever be bad for your oral health?
Raw Deal One of the major concerns when eating raw produce is making sure that it is handled and treated properly.
If you don't rinse and clean your produce at home, you might be taking in pesticides and other toxic chemicals – which naturally are bad to eat! The chemicals may wear away at your enamel, pitting and scoring your teeth, allowing bacteria to come in and make their home deep inside your teeth and gums.
Crunchy Concerns Another potential problem with raw produce, especially vegetables, are that they tend to be more crispy and rigid than their fully-cooked variants. While your teeth are designed for biting and chewing, sudden snaps can impact them, causing chips and cracks to form.
As mentioned above, this invites bacteria in, and can lead to various oral diseases, including gum disease and cavities. Even if your teeth are healthy and in excellent condition, it can still lead to pain if a crunch bite pushes down on your nerve endings!
An Acid a Day Fresh fruits can also pose a threat to your teeth, due to their sweetness and ripeness. In particular, fruits that are rich in acid, such as citruses, can wear away at your teeth over time, eroding them down.
This becomes a double-edged sword when berries and other sweet produce items are involved, since the sugar not only fuels the growth of bacteria, but it breaks down into acid, creating an orally dangerous loop of infections and tooth decay.
While they should still be an important part of your daily diet, fresh produce should be eaten carefully and in moderation. If you have any questions about which fruits and vegetables are best for your smile and which should be avoided, please contact us today!
About Our Paradise Valley Dental Practice • David R. Moyer, DDS Looking for the right dentist for you? Learn more about our top-rated Paradise Valley dentist, David R. Moyer, DDS, today! David R. Moyer, DDS, 10920 N. Tatum Blvd, Suite #103 Phoenix, AZ 85208 ^ 480.935.6295 ^ moyerdds.com ^ 3/31/2023 ^ Associated Words: Dentist Paradise Valley ^
Part of a healthy diet is eating your fruits and vegetables, and this is true for oral health as well. Your mouth needs the vitamins and minerals that fresh produce provides. But can those delicious snacks ever be bad for your oral health?