The enamel on your teeth does more than just give you a white, bright smile. The enamel is also important for protecting your teeth and keeping them strong. Teeth that are weak are prone to breaking, leaving you visiting an emergency dentist in Sacramento. However, there are foods you can avoid to help keep your teeth shiny and strong. Here are five foods that you should avoid to keep your teeth healthy so you won’t have to visit the emergency dentist.

Sour Foods
When your parents told you to stop sucking on lemons they were actually thinking about your teeth. Foods that are sour are also highly acidic. That acid can damage the tooth enamel. Enjoying sour foods in Sacramento is fine occasionally, but it should not be done on a regular basis.

Sodas
Visit an emergency dentist with a broken tooth and he will usually advise you to lay off the sodas. Soda pop is filled with sugar and carbonation. The sugar encourages harmful bacteria to grow. That bacterium causes your body to produce more acids which in turn damage the enamel. At the same time, the carbonation works to break down enamel making sodas a bad idea on two levels.

Sticky Candy
All candy is bad for the teeth but sticky candies are the absolute worst. When the candy sticks to your teeth the damage will set in faster and be more extensive. The sugar that is left behind will draw bacteria and in turn the resulting acids will cause serious damage. A Sacramento emergency dentist cringes when he sees people chowing down on gummy candies and taffy, because they may soon be sitting in the chair with teeth that are damaged or decaying.

Starchy Foods
When it comes to your teeth, starchy foods are as bad as sticky sweets. This includes white bread and other carbohydrates that linger in the mouth and stick to the teeth. The bacteria love the carbs as much as they love sugar, and the acid production will again kick into overdrive.

Vinegar
This condiment might be fine for the waistline, but it can be damaging to your teeth. It doesn’t stick to the enamel, but it does have a corrosive quality that can quickly damage your teeth.

Sacramento residents are encouraged by the emergency dentist to follow these tips to help protect tooth enamel.
• Snacking in between meals should be avoided to help minimize the amount of acid in the mouth.
• Acidic beverages should never be swirled or held in the mouth. They should be consumed with a straw to minimize how long they are in the mouth.
• Rinse after every meal with water or chew sugarless gum to reduce acid build-up.
• Milk or cheese should be consumed with meals to help the enamel reharden.
• Enamel that is recently exposed to these harsh foods will be softer than usual. Brushing should be delayed by thirty minutes, giving it time to reharden and minimizing damage.

If you experience broken teeth outside of your dentists’ normal hours you can call a Sacramento emergency dentist. You don’t have to live with the pain throughout the weekend because relief is available. To avoid trips to the emergency dentist, follow good dental hygiene and take steps to protect that delicate enamel.