Good Snacks for Your Teeth

If you get a hankering for a midday snack, you probably won’t be able to stop yourself, but there are definitely some precautions you should take to avoid damaging your teeth. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry recommends staying away from overly sticky or sugary snacks since these can cause your teeth to stain and decay, leading to the formation of cavities. You should also avoid sour candies since these contain a high content of citric acid and malic acid, which are extremely bad for your dental enamel. If the enamel wears away, your tooth structure will be exposed, and you will be at a greater risk of having tooth sensitivity.

Sticky snacks, like caramel, should be avoided as much as possible since the sticky bits tend to latch onto the surface of your teeth. This makes them difficult to clean off, and bacteria will start feeding off the sweet particles, leading to tooth decay. And you should steer clear of popcorn that is not fully popped since dental fractures can occur very easily from biting down on the popcorn kernels.

However, it is not all doom and gloom when it comes to snacks. If you have chocolate cravings, you should stick to dark chocolate. Dark chocolate has a high content of pure cocoa beans, and the higher the cocoa content, the healthier the chocolate. Many chocolates state on the packaging their cocoa content; some even go as high as 90% cocoa content. If you are worried about which snacks are good for your oral health, talk to our dentist in North Hollywood.