AS WE stay home in a national lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, there will be plenty of times to turn to food.
We are aware that in these difficult times, many Filipinos find themselves without jobs and do not have adequate access to nutritious food. At the same time, tight budgets could limit meals to junk foods that are more affordable and mistakenly thought to be āfilling enoughā.
It has been stressed by health authorities that one of the best ways to ward off the corona virus, along with social distancing and personal hygiene, is to strengthen our immunity to it. And that is to exercise and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
On the other hand, there are many foods out there we should be aware of that, taken in excess, are bad and damaging your teeth.
Take for instance flavored chips that are hard enough to harm or even cut the gums. They are favorites of bacteria as well. The flavorings are often acidic which could erode the tooth enamel.
The same is true with sweetened fruit juice that are sugared and are acidic. Bacteria in the mouth feed on sugar and that can cause tooth decay.
A soda soft drink could contain the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar. And it is acidic, potentially causing enamel break down.
(Never, never chew on the ice that goes with the soft drink and the juice. It can crack a tooth. This is especially true for people with a lot of dental fillings that weakens the teeth structure. Chewing on ice could break off a portion of a tooth.)
Even pasta sauce is suspect, especially as we Filipinos are fond of the sweet spaghetti. Tomatoes are good, mind you, and so is sugar ā all in moderation. Excessive pasta sauce can be damaging as too much of it can be acidic and impacts on the tooth enamel. Sugar in excess is also a no no.
The carbs in alcoholic drinks are food for bacteria. The carbonation makes them acidic too. The higher the alcohol content, the higher the chances of having dry mouth. And watch out for the sugar, especially in cocktail mixes. And wine can be sweet. So go easy with the beer, wine, spirits and cocktails.
Coffee and tea are also acidic and may cause dry mouth. And they go with sugar too. Many coffee and tea drinkers prefer no cream and no sugar; or if they opt for milk and cream, no sugar. Too much of a frappƩ also goes with too much of sugar.
Donāt despair, water helps cleanse the mouth of sugar and acid./PN
