Surprisingly Acidic Foods and Drinks
As a follow up to my last post on foods with a surprising amount of added sugar, we’re now going to look at foods and drinks that have a lot of acid in them. Sugar isn’t the only cause of cavities today. There are so many products that are highly acidic which provide the exact type of environment in your mouth needed for cavities to thrive. Your tooth enamel starts to break down below pH 5.5.
Commonly known acidic foods and drinks
- Citrus fruits including lemons, grapefruits, and oranges.
- Soda’s including both the sugar and sugar-free versions.
- Sour candies
Less commonly known:
- Most other fruits including apples, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, grapes, peaches, pears, pineapples, and plums
- Coffee
- Vinegar based salad dressings
- Vinegar based sauces, especially hot sauces
- Lacto-fermented products like sauerkraut
- Tomatoes
- Tomato sauces
All these foods if consumed too frequently can lead to or speed up the process of tooth decay. It also isn’t uncommon to develop canker sores in your mouth or develop heartburn after eating acidic foods. The easiest way to avoid these problems is to eat these foods in moderation and limit them to mealtimes or one defined snack time during the day.
