Avoid These 5 Foods To Help Gum Health

Because your gums support your teeth, your gum health matters. You can maintain healthy gums with consistent brushing, flossing, and visits to the dentist for professional cleanings. What you eat matters, too! Here are five foods to avoid if you want healthier gums.

White Bread

White bread contains starch and sugar, which are both carbs. Cavity-causing bacteria eat carbs, which makes white bread a poor choice for gum health. All bread types have carbs, but refined white bread is less nutritious than whole wheat or whole grain. You end up with lots of sugar and starch, but not much else. Try less sugary breads for better gum and tooth health!

Potato Chips

Like white bread, potato chips are high in carbs. Potato chips can also get stuck between your teeth, causing plaque to build up against your gums. Many chip flavors – like salt and vinegar – are acidic, which isn’t great for your gum health.

Soda

Soda, which is high in sugar and acid, is very damaging to your oral health. Together, sugar and acid feed the bacteria that cause gum disease and wear down your enamel. Caffeine is also known to dry up your saliva production, which your mouth needs to wash away plaque.

Sports Drinks

Many people think sports drinks are better than soda, but these beverages are also high in acid and sugar. That blend creates a problem for tooth and gum health, weakening your enamel and feeding disease-causing bacteria. If you play sports, you can get nutrients from better sources like coconut water or bananas.

Sticky Candy

Sticky food in general isn’t great for your mouth, but sticky candy is especially harmful. Thanks to the stickiness, the candy residue is much harder to clean off your teeth, giving sugar-loving bacteria lots of time to cause trouble. Many sticky candies are also acidic.

Protecting Your Gum Health at Cherry Blossom Family Dentistry in Burleson, Dallas & Keller

Concerned about your gums? Most people can quickly improve their gum health with better brushing, flossing, and diet changes. Regular cleanings and exams also help you avoid gum disease. When needed, we offer periodontal treatment at our three locations in Texas. We have dental professionals and friendly staff at Cherry Blossom Family Dentistry in Burleson, Highland Oaks Family Dentistry in Keller or Uptown Dental Studio in Dallas.If you have any questions about gum disease or want to schedule an appointment, please contact us today!