Like every dentist will tell you “Stay away from the sweets!” The bacteria inside our mouths use sugary substances like: candy, chocolates, soda, and cakes to eat away at your tooth’s enamel, which can create cavities. The dangers sweets present to your teeth are pretty common knowledge, but most might not know that carbohydrates are just as dangerous and that sugar can be found in more than just sweets.

The carbohydrates found in wheat and corn in particular, have been known to corrode the enamel on your teeth even more quickly than sugar. Food that is high in carbohydrates tend to be high in starch, this makes the food stick to your teeth and isn’t as easy to brush away. Bread, pasta, and potatoes are common additions to the dinner table and all of them are high are carbs.

So what about fruit? Surely, something as healthy as fruit must be good for your teeth, right? Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. An apple a day does not keep the dentist away, in fact it might keep your dentist pretty busy! Fruits contain a fair amount of natural sugars, which corrode away at your teeth’s enamel. Without accompanying food to help neutralize the acids, fruit juice can be just as detrimental to your teeth’s enamel due to the high levels of natural sugars.

The best way to counter the decay of your tooth’s enamel is to remember to brush after eating. This limits the contact your teeth have with the carbohydrates and sugars. While it couldn’t hurt to lay off the pasta a little bit, fruits are full of nutrition and necessary in a healthy diet, so just remember to practice good oral hygiene and you can continue eating the food you love.