Foods to Avoid Eating During COVID-19

     With COVID-19 continuing to greatly affect the US, health is at the forefront of the conversation. However, it’s important to remember that other health ailments don’t disappear because COVID is here. One area in particular to remember is oral health, and more specifically the effects snacking can have on it. Since many people are spending more time at home and not following their normal daily routine, it’s a lot easier to neglect your oral health. Here are some prime suspects you should limit consumption of:

Sticky candies & sweets:
Candies that stick to your teeth are detrimental to your oral health. The longer sugar stays in your mouth, the higher the chances for a cavity to be produced. Sweets like cake and ice cream can be washed out of your mouth quicker, but the sugar content is still very high and can cause damage if you don’t brush your teeth and floss.

Starchy foods:
Starchy foods such as breads and potato chips can easily get stuck in your mouth. If left untreated, the plaque that is produced from these can harden into tartar and is far more difficult to remove. If your chip craving is just too hard to resist, be sure to have a good floss before you go to bed. A good rule of thumb is this: if it’s crisp, crunchy, and comes in a bag, it’s probably not good for your oral health.

Carbonated Soft Drinks:
Soft drinks are loaded with sugar. While they may taste good, they are horrible for your oral health. So much so that a single can of soda takes up the entire recommended daily sugar intake. Additionally, quite a few soft drinks have citric and phosphoric acids that eat away at tooth enamel. These drinks are prime suspects for cavities. Instead of drinking soft drinks, consider drinking sparkling water and juice that isn’t acidic.

It’s not bad to indulge in a snack, just make sure that treat doesn’t turn into an everyday occurrence. Additionally, just because your schedule may be different, your oral health priorities haven’t. Be sure you are continuing to floss and brush your teeth twice a day. The last thing you want is to visit a dentist and be diagnosed with gingivitis because you didn’t take a few minutes to clean your teeth!

Due for a cleaning? Wurzbach Parkway Family Dental is open and accepting new patients. Schedule an appointment today!