Keeping the dentist away; which are the worst foods for your teeth according to the NY Times.

Like many of you, other than yearly dental maintenance, I would love to avoid dental visits which are expensive and invasive.

While the occasional root canal may be unavoidable, eating the right foods while staying away from others in excess may be just what you needed to avoid tooth cavities and some gum problems.

The NY Times recently explored which foods will eventually drive you to the dentist.

The Worst Foods and Drinks for Your Teeth

When assessing how likely a given meal, snack or drink is to harm your dental health, there are two main things to consider, experts say.

By Hannah Seo Published July 18, 2022

If you’ve heard that candy rots your teeth, or that your one- (or two- or three-) seltzer-a-day habit will erode your tooth enamel, you might be wondering what other treats, drinks, meals and snacks might be harming your teeth. While it’s technically true that all foods and drinks can cause tooth decay — or damage to the surface, or enamel, of your teeth — not every food or drink causes equal harm, and some people are more susceptible to dental decay than others.

Here’s what to keep in mind when taking care of your oral health.

Why are some foods worse than others?
When assessing how bad a meal, snack, dessert or drink is for your dental health, there are two main things to consider, said Dr. Apoena de Aguiar Ribeiro, a pediatric dentist and microbiologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who studies the oral microbiome and how it affects dental decay: its composition and its quality.