Dentist in Marietta Shares Dangerous Snacks for Teeth
Having a healthier diet is something that many of us keep as a goal. Most times, this involves consuming more fruits and vegetables, as well as paying more attention to what we’re eating.
Still, as much as a proper diet is good for our overall health, there are many healthy foods that are harmful for our teeth.
Below, we’ve come up with a list of healthy foods that are bad for your oral health. We’ve also included a few tips that can help you minimize any harm.
Apples and Apple Juice
While an apple a day is said to keep the doctor away, the same thing can’t be said about your dentist.
Apples are highly acidic and can wear away your tooth enamel. Therefore, a good idea is to always swish around a few swigs of water after you’ve eaten an apple or drank a glass of apple juice. Just make sure to wait at least 20 minutes after eating, or you can worsen the damage by brushing away enamel that’s been softened by the acids in the fruit.
Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits, such as grapefruits and oranges are packed full of vitamin C and other healthy nutrients. The problem is that they also contain large amount of citric acid, which, just like apples, can cause damage to your tooth enamel.
Over time, these acids can demineralize your enamel, causing it to weaken and putting you at a greater risk of developing tooth decay.
Dehydrated Fruits
Dried fruit makes a great snack that’s easily portable and great for people who are on the go.
On the other hand, they are also great at causing cavities. This is because dehydrated fruit has had all its moisture removed and the only thing left is sugar. Additionally, these snacks are chewy and can easily stick to the surface of your teeth.
Therefore, the best way to minimize the harm is to sip on water while eating dried fruit, and then to brush and floss after having waited 20 or 30 minutes after eating
Peanut Butter
Who doesn’t love a good peanut butter and jam sandwich?
For many people, peanut butter is a lunch time staple. However, most peanut butter brands are loaded with sugar, and due to its stickiness, can put you at a significantly higher risk of developing cavities.
That said, it’s best to try stick to natural peanut butter, or brands with less added sugar, and try to keep some floss nearby to clean in between your teeth after eating.
Almonds
There’s no doubt that almonds are a good, healthy snack. They are loaded with vitamin E and are great for your body. The problem with almonds is that they are quite hard and can be difficult to chew. This puts you at a higher risk of chipping or cracking a tooth while snacking on a handful of almonds.
Try to chew carefully or if possible, try and snack on slivered almonds instead which are much softer and easier on your teeth.
