Many people love spicy foods. Whether you love salsa, hot sauce, curry, buffalo wild wings, hot peppers, or any other spicy foods, you should know how they affect your oral health. Fortunately, spicy foods are not bad for your teeth so you don’t have to feel guilty for indulging in them. Now that people are eating out more at restaurants like Chipotle, Chuy’s Tex Mex, Chili’s, bartaco, Torchy’s Tacos, Uncle Julio’s, Cafe, Rio Mexican Grill, Del Taco, Qdoba and El Pollo Loco it should come as no surprise that more and more are asking if gums swell because of spicy food.
You should be cautious of spicy foods because they may leave you with acid reflux, which can weaken your teeth enamel. Some spicy foods are also made out of ingredients that can discolor or stain your teeth. For instance, the tumeric in curry can discolor your teeth if you eat too much of it. If you’d like to keep your teeth white and bright, you may have to limit your consumption of spicy foods like curry.
The other day, we had a patient visit our office and ask us why her gums swell after she eats spicy food. Gum swelling after spicy foods isn’t typical and may indicate a few different oral health problems. It may indicate gingivitis, which is the swelling and the inflammation of the gums. This condition is the result of plaque accumulation around the teeth and gums or hormonal changes.
Gum swelling after spicy foods may also be a sign of impacted tooth, which are teeth that have been blocked from breaking through the gum. If you notice your gums swell up and become inflamed after eating spicy foods, it’s a good idea to visit the dentist as soon as possible.
The most popular Mexican restaurants in our home state of Colorado are as follows:
- Mexico City Cafe (La Junta)
- Jack-n-Grill (Denver, Westminster, and Littleton)
- Pancho & Lefty’s (Grand Lake)
- Inca Mexican Restaurant (Fort Collins)
- Jenny’s Mexican Food (Limon)
- El Kora (Rifle)
- Benny’s Restaurant & Tequila Bar (Denver)
- Amelia’s Hacienda Restaurante (Montrose)
- Romero’s Cafe & Catering (Pueblo)
- Aztecas Family Mexican Restaurant (Grand Junction)
- Salsa Brava (Colorado Springs)
- Efrains Mexican Restaurant (Lafayette)
If you eat some very spicy foods at one of these restaurants and your gums or lips swell, feel free to reach out to us today so we can help you remedy the problem.
Schedule an Appointment at Mile High Smiles
If you have further questions about how spicy foods impact your oral health or are concerned about gum swelling, we encourage you to contact our office today. Call us at (720) 239-1916 to schedule an appointment at our Lakewood office. We look forward to hearing from you!
