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How Can Sour Food Affect Your Teeth?

Orthodontics in Atlanta and Marietta, GAWe all know that feeling of tasting something sour. Your cheeks may pucker, you might squint your eyes, yet somehow it is a flavor that is ever growing in popularity. From lemonade to gummy worms, sour foods are often a surprisingly delicious treat. However, your teeth do not feel the same way. While you may enjoy the taste of a sour candy every now and then, your teeth can feel repercussions long after that puckered feeling has passed, and the damage can be even worse if you have braces or other orthodontic appliances.

What is so bad about sour foods?

Oftentimes when we eat food, we do not consider the effects the food will have on our teeth. We get caught up in the flavors and the textures and forget that our teeth require care before, during, and after a meal, not just when we wake up and go to bed. But certain foods, particularly sour foods, can do some serious damage to your teeth.

The acidity that comes with sour foods can greatly damage the enamel on your teeth. Enamel is the hard, outer layer of the tooth that protects it. In fact, enamel can dissolve almost immediately after you eat the sour food. Sounds scary, right? With braces it can get even scarier. Because braces sit on your teeth, they create hiding places for foods and consequently the acids that come with them to sit even longer on your teeth, which leads to more opportunity to dissolve your enamel and cause permanent damage to teeth.

How to prevent damage from sour foods

The most common sour foods are sour candies, which often take the form of gummies. So if you have braces, avoid them totally since you are not supposed to be eating gummy food anyway. However, if you do eat sour foods, make sure you rinse out your mouth after you eat to get the acids moving away from your teeth. You may feel inclined to immediately brush your teeth, but this can actually do more damage to your enamel. It is best to wait about an hour after you finish eating to brush your teeth.

To learn more about sour foods and your teeth or to schedule an appointment, contact Dr. Marc S. Wright in Atlanta and Marietta, GA at (404) 507-2078.

 

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Show Off that Smile, Laughter is Best for Your Health!

Orthodontics in Atlanta and Marietta, GAOne of the first things we tend to notice about people is their smile. There is nothing quite like a perfect set of pearly whites. So why not make your smile the best it can be? When it comes to your overbite or your underbite, too much space between teeth or too little, or even just that one crooked tooth, there is no reason not to fix it. Your smile tells a lot about you, and you deserve to have the smile you want.

Braces can seem scary. You may not desire to have all that metal in your mouth; however, there is nothing to fear. Plus, some orthodontic issues may not even require braces to be fixed. Invisalign, for example, provides an alternative to traditional braces through the use of a clear, comfortable tray that conforms to your teeth. Whether you go the traditional route or not, there is never a reason to avoid orthodontic treatment if you need it.

Orthodontic treatment is great for a variety of reasons. If you have more serious issues, like a misaligned jaw, then it can help you get to a healthier you. If you have a more cosmetic issue, like a crooked tooth, it can help you get to a happier you. When you feel insecure about your teeth, you will hide your real smile behind a closed lip one or a half smirk. Get a smile you know you can feel confident with and let your laughter shine through. A smile you can believe in leads to higher self-esteem and a happier you. No matter the reason you seek orthodontic treatment, it will get you smiling bigger and better than ever.

Why wait when it comes to getting the smile you deserve? To schedule a consultation, contact Dr. Marc S. Wright in Atlanta and Marietta, GA at (404) 507-2078.