Care for a Snack? Your Family Dentist Would Recommend These Teeth-Friendly Options

1. October 27, 2017 Care for a Snack? Your Family Dentist Would Recommend These Teeth-Friendly Options It’s quite normal to want to enjoy a snack during the day. People often take snacks an hour or so before lunch or dinner - just to keep energy levels up. However, perhaps it’s time to think about your teeth every time you make your snack choices. The kind of snacks that you enjoy can affect the condition of your teeth. In particular, your teeth don’t take kindly to sugary snacks. They may taste really good, but they are absolutely 1 | P a g e

2. bad news for your dental health. Perhaps, this is why nine out of 10 people in US have had tooth decay or cavities. The moment sugar reaches your mouth, bacteria in your mouth will gobble it up and turn it into acids. Unfortunately, these acids will dissolve the hard enamel covering of your teeth leading to the formation of cavities. To keep this from happening, it really helps to be smart about snacking. Here are a number of teeth-friendly snack choices that a family dentist would recommend: Apples If you often have a craving for something sweet in the middle of the day, how about going for an apple instead of a candy bar? When you eat an apple, your mouth actually produces saliva, which helps rinse away any food particles or bacteria. Meanwhile, the apple’s fibrous texture also helps stimulate your gums. This further increases saliva flow while also reducing any bacteria in the mouth. Pack an apple in your lunch bag instead of something with lots of sugar. Enjoy it whole or in slices. Yogurt Yogurt is best known for its ability to help enhance your body’s immune system. However, it can play a key role in your oral health too. That’s because the probiotics or beneficial bacteria that it contains can help fight off the kind of bacteria that causes cavities. Add to that is the fact that yogurt is high in both protein and calcium. These nutrients are necessary in keeping your teeth strong and healthy. Cheese If feel like you can’t live without cheese, the good news is you won’t have to. After all, cheese happens to be good for your teeth. In fact, one study found that eating cheese can help raise pH levels in your mouth and therefore, lead to a lower risk of developing tooth decay. Furthermore, chewing cheese also increases saliva in your mouth so more bacteria can be rinsed away. 2 | P a g e

3. Aside from this, cheese is also a rich source of protein and calcium. Thus making cheese a part of your daily diet can help further strengthen the enamel on your teeth. Keep these snack ideas in mind for the next time you feel like munching on something in the middle of the day. These snack suggestions are not just teeth-friendly, they are also incredibly healthy. That means you can also keep on eating these regularly without breaking your diet. About Maria E. Marzo DDS, PC General & Cosmetic Dentistry: At Maria E. Marzo DDS, PC General & Cosmetic Dentistry, we believe in being able to give everyone the perfect smile. We offer teeth cleaning, implant restoration, orthodontics, teeth whitening, and cosmetic dentistry. We also provide restorative dental options such as Invisalign, porcelain crowns, dentures, dental implants, root canal, composite fillings and more. Sources: Eat Fruits and Veggies For A Healthy Smile, dentistry.uic.edu Snacking and Your Teeth, consumer.healthday.com New research shows cheese may prevent cavities, eurekalert.org Healthy Foods List: Seven Best Foods For Your Teeth, colgate.com 3 | P a g e