We need food and drink to survive. There’s no way around it, and for the most part, our teeth have protection against them. However, there are some types of food and drink that are terrible for our teeth. Your dental clinic in South Everett would love for you to avoid these foods and drink, but you could at least cut back.

Which ones are the worst offenders? Which ones should you try to phase out? Here are the top three foods and drinks to avoid.

Get Rid of the Energy Drinks

You’ll hear a lot about sugary drinks being bad for your teeth. In fact, the dentist at your dental clinic in South Everett may have already requested that you avoid pops or sodas. Well, you can add energy drinks to the list too.

These are also full of sugars that are bad for your teeth. The sugars stick around. Even if you brush well, you can find that some of the sugars get into the gumline.

Then there’s the acid that is in these drinks. Acid erosion is one of the biggest issues for dentist. The acid in your drinks are causing the enamel to wear away. That’s the protective layer over your teeth. By losing the acid, you’re increasing the risk of cavities in your mouth.

On top of that is the dry mouth that the energy drinks cause. You need saliva to help get rid of bacteria in the mouth, so when you don’t have that, you’re creating more of a breeding ground for bacteria that eats away at your teeth and gums.

Hard and Sour Candies

When you go to your dental clinic in South Everett, you may head your dentist comment about candy. Yes, all candy is bad for the teeth, but there are some that are worse than others. Hard and sour candy is the type your dentist would love for you to avoid.

While you know you should suck on the candy, you’ll end up biting it. This increases the risk of breaking the teeth. Even if you suck on the sour candy, you’re causing damage though. That sourness includes a lot of acid. That leads to a breakdown of the enamel, which leads to the same problem as the energy drinks above.

Citrus Fruits—or At Least, a Lot of Them!

Fruit and vegetables are needed for a healthy body. In fact, citrus fruits offer some great health benefits, including a boost in the vitamin C levels and aiding digestion. You don’t need a lot of them, though, and there are ways to get the vitamin C without them.

The problem with citrus fruits is the levels of acid in them. They end up causing the enamel on your teeth to break down. They can also cause your gums to regress, which can lead to the roots of your teeth being exposed. Your gum structure is affected, leading to a higher risk of oral health issues.

You don’t need to stop having all the foods and drinks above. Your dental clinic in South Everett would love for you to cut back on them, though.