Did you know that nearly 40 million Americans report having some pain in their teeth while eating or drinking? Believe it or not, women and young adults are more likely to report tooth sensitivity so if you have teenagers, you’ll want to pay close attention. See below to find out which foods and drinks tend to cause the most irritation and be sure to keep them out of your child’s lunchbox!
1 – Soda
This may come as no surprise as drinking soda brings on a number of health concerns. Well, soda is both acidic and full of sugar, both of which can irritate sensitive teeth due to exposed nerves. We recommend sticking with water or milk instead.
2 – Hot Coffee
Hot drinks can cause just as much discomfort as freezing cold drink when its comes to sensitive teeth, and adding sugar to coffee can make things even worse. If your child is already drinking coffee, we suggest adding some milk to cool the drink down and make it slightly less acidic which can help alleviate some sensitivity.
3 – Citrus
Sure, fruits are commonly thought of as healthy foods, but they can cause more harm than good at times. Stay away from citrus fruits such as pineapples, grapefruits, lemons and limes as the acid can wear away at tooth enamel.
4 – Tomatoes
Similar to citrus fruits, tomatoes also contain high levels of acidity. This includes raw tomatoes, tomato sauce and even ketchup.
5 – Ice
Not surprisingly, cold, hard ice can be a problem for those with sensitive teeth. Even if your child can tolerate drinks with ice, they should avoid chewing on ice cubes to reduce the risk of discomfort.