Skip to main content

Dental Snack Facts

What foods Are Best For Your Teeth


When you serve the occasional sweets, try to combine them with meals. Increased salivary flow during meals aids in neutralizing the damaging effects of sugar. When combined with starches such as toast and cereal, milk will actually neutralize tooth-damaging acid.


Avoid soft, sticky sweets which remain on and between tooth surfaces (ie. toffee). Sticky foods that are retained in the mouth longer give bacteria additional time to dine; as a result, they produce more cavity-forming acid.


If you can't brush after every snack and/or meal, at least try to rise for a few seconds with water. The key is to cut down on the acidity of the mouth.


Avoid giving your child foods rich in sugar that stay in the mouth and prolong the acid attack (ie. hard candy, lollipops, gum). Instead, try offering snacks which are low in sugar. By offering your child a variety of foods such as grains, milk and milk products, meat, vegetables, and fruits you can often avoid having them develop a "sweet tooth".


Frequent snacking on foods containing sugar increases a child's risk of getting cavities.  The frequency of snacks will increase the risk of getting cavities more than the amount eaten at one sitting.


The consistency of the snacks increases the risk of getting cavities more than the amount eaten.


Everything in moderation. As long as they're able to brush afterwards, there's not much harm in allowing children to snack on the occasional treat.


Remember that children and teenagers need calcium to form strong, healthy teeth and bones. Pregnant women also require extra calcium for the formation of their baby’s teeth and bones. Milk products and spinach are very high in calcium.



The Dentist’s Choice

(low in sugar / high nutrition)

eggs
cheese
meat
milk
nuts and seeds
plain muffins
plain popcorn
plain yogurt
tossed salads
vegetables
whole-wheat bread
whole grain cereal



The Not Great , But Not Horrible List

(high in sugar / high nutrition)

chocolate milk
dried fruits
granola bars
ice cream
milkshakes
pudding
raisins



The Cavity List 

(high in sugar / low nutrition)

cookies
candy
chocolate
cake
fast foods
granola bars
gummy bears
jam
marshmallows
presweetened cereals
soda





We're out participating at educational conventions and seminars throughout the year and we'd like to use this blog as a dental resource for our community of Phoenix, AZ (and beyond). Of course, we welcome you to join the conversation. Suggest topics and ask those burning questions about dentistry that keep you up at night. Please feel free to contact me through the Morse Family Dental  website. Remember, the advice provided here is intended to aid you in understanding some of the treatment options available. It is important to note that before beginning any course of treatment you should always see your dentist. 
Labels:
Location: Phoenix, AZ 85085, USA

Popular posts from this blog

Cracked Tooth Syndrome

Cracked Teeth Below are some answers to common questions patient's have about cracked teeth:  Why Do Teeth Crack? Will My Grinding Habit Make It Worse? Why Does It Hurt To Bite On It? Why Is It Sensitive to Hot and Cold? What Will Happen If I Just Do Nothing? What's The Usual Treatment for A Cracked Tooth? Is It Possible That The Nerve Is Already Dead? Is It Safe to Leave A Tooth With a Dead Nerve? If The Nerve is Dead, Do I still Need a Crown? Doesn't The Nerve Always Recover? Why Do Teeth Crack? Cracked tooth syndrome is a very common problem usually affecting teeth that have large amalgam (silver) fillings. Large fillings weaken the remaining tooth structure. Like all materials, teeth are subject to forces of stress fatigue.  Will My Grinding Habit Make It Worse? Yes. Almost everyone, at some point in their life, grinds their teeth. Grinding can increase the stress and strain on a tooth by 200 to 300%, especially if you'...
Read more

Your Teeth Whitening Questions ... answered!

How can I make my teeth whiter? Bleaching or veneers are typically the best choice unless you have existing dental work. If you currently have crowns, you may have to have them replaced to whiten your smile. If you have bonding or tooth colored fillings, you may need to change them following bleaching.   Which bleaching method is the best? If your teeth are receptive to bleaching, all methods will eventually lighten your teeth to a similar result, though, some methods may take longer than others. The in-office treatments offered by your dentist will give you the quickest result. The tray method will also whiten your teeth over a longer period of time (generally about 2 weeks). Are there any reasons I shouldn't bleach my teeth? Yes. You shouldn't bleach your teeth if your pregnant, nursing, or have any infections related to your teeth or gums. You might also consider avoiding bleaching if you have excessively sensitive teeth.  So, How long ...
Read more

Nocturnal Bruxism and Nightguards

Teeth Grinding  Wearing of the chewing surfaces if your teeth occurs normally throughout life at a slow pace. Just the friction of the upper and lower teeth moving against one another wears away your enamel. You don't notice it because it is such as low process. Though, you might notice that the biting surfaces if your lower incisors appear more yellow than they used to. Depending on your age, the yellow you are looking at is probably dentin (the layer under enamel). You may have also noticed that your upper front teeth are beginning to chip.  The normal process of attrition can become greatly accelerated if your teeth don't fit together properly. In other words, if your normal bite is off to one side and not evenly balanced with the teeth interlocking, you can have problems with excessive loss of tooth structure. One out of every four adults falls into this category a some level. Grinding and clenching are usually a physical manifestation of stress. It occurs at nigh...
Read more