A healthy set of teeth is something that everyone aspires for, yet there are facts about teeth that not everyone knows. Here are 5 lesser known facts about teeth. 1. Sour is just as bad as sweet. Sugar is not the only substance that can damage dental health. Low pH and acidic foods, such as sour candies, soft drinks, fruit juices, etc., can erode enamel and cause teeth to shrink. Citric acid is the most damaging of the acidic foods to teeth. Since enamel doesn’t fully mature until ten years after the teeth have grown in, children’s teeth are more susceptible to acidic erosion. Cole suggests that when eating strongly acidic foods, it is recommended that they be eaten with other foods to minimize damage to the teeth. 2, popcorn and ice hurt teeth the most Enamel, although it is the hardest substance in the body, is extremely easy to break. The foods that dentists hate are popcorn and ice, because eating popcorn kernels is like eating rocks, and ice is brittle, both of which hurt teeth. Similarly, dentists don’t support people wearing lip or tongue rings because metal jewelry can harbor bacteria that can chip teeth. 3, You can lose teeth at any age Although some people are born without wisdom teeth, or even lateral incisors, the most common causes of tooth loss are dental disease and tooth decay. Because fillings or dental implants are often more expensive than regular dentures, many people choose to have their teeth extracted and fitted with dentures. 22.8% of Americans aged 65-74 years old are wearing full dentures, and among Americans over 75 years old, the percentage is as high as 29.4%. 4, fluoride must be the right amount Although fluoride is essential for healthy teeth, but if children 8 years old and younger in the permanent teeth growth stage on the intake of excessive fluoride, will fluorosis. The typical symptom of fluorosis is that the teeth first appear as white spots and then turn brown. Unfortunately, this discoloration occurs from the inside out, so even removing the top layer of the teeth won’t help. In addition, too much fluoride can make teeth porous. A common cause of fluorosis is children swallowing too much toothpaste. To prevent this, adults should teach them to brush their teeth with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste at a time to prevent overdosing. Until kids understand that they can’t swallow toothpaste, they should use fluoride-free toothpaste. 5, braces can easily lead to cavities If you wear braces, you need to pay special attention to brushing your teeth, otherwise the food, bacteria and acids left around the braces will slowly dislodge the enamel and form cavities around the braces brackets. Even if the eroded areas don’t develop into a cavity, they can trigger “demineralization” and lead to bright spots on the teeth, which may darken as the decay progresses. The tongue is a natural toothbrush, and when people wear braces, the discomfort of touching the metal stops them from rubbing their teeth with their tongues, leading to debris buildup and decay.