Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for many reasons, including that it can set the tone for the day ahead. However, eating certain breakfast foods may also speed up the formation of tartar on your teeth. It might be hard to believe, but the tartar-formation process actually begins as a good thing!
Bad Bacteria Overrun the Good Bacteria to Create Plaque
Not long after you finish brushing your teeth in the morning, a film that dentists refer to as the dental pellicle forms on your teeth. This film contains good oral bacteria and actually helps to protect your enamel from acids in the foods and drinks you consume. However, throughout the day, these good bacteria are overrun by bad oral bacteria, the kind that cause tooth decay.
The tooth-friendly pellicle then transforms into plaque, a sticky, rough material full of bad oral bacteria and food particles. All types of food contribute to the formation of this plaque layer, but some foods are much worse than other foods. Since plaque becomes tartar if you don't remove it in time, usually within 12 to 20 days, you should avoid eating certain foods every morning.
1. Bread
Bread contains a lot of starch and carbohydrates. Unfortunately, your saliva, as well as oral bacteria, break down these compounds and turn them into simple sugars that are easier to digest. This digestive process causes the bread to become gooey and viscous, and in this state, it sticks to your teeth, becoming a snack that hangs around for oral bacteria to feast on.
2. Dried Fruits
Many breakfast cereals contain dried fruits like raisins and strawberries. Not only are dried fruits sticky, but they also contain lots of sugar. Thus, while these dried fruits cling to the surface of your teeth, bad oral bacteria feast on the sugar and multiply to create more plaque, which in turn attracts more bacteria.
3. Jams, Marmalade and Honey
If you enjoy spreading jams and other sticky treats like marmalade on toast or crackers in the morning, just remember that they will stick to your teeth in the same way that they stick to your knife or spoon. As with bread or dried fruits, while clinging to your teeth, these sticky substances keep your oral bacteria well-fed, which leads to more plaque, and eventually, more tartar.
Remember, if you feed bad bacteria what they crave the most, sugar, and sugar that sticks to your teeth, your plaque problem will worsen. And, if you don't brush your teeth regularly and floss between your teeth to remove sticky residue, tartar could become a serious issue too. Don't quit these foods altogether. Just make sure that you regulate your morning intake of them.
Contact a dentist to learn more about protecting your teeth.
