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Our Mission Statement • Dental Health News Dental Health News Choosing A Diet For Good Oral Health Limit Your Snacks Because so many foods contain sugars and starches that allow the bacteria in plaque to produce acids, you should limit the number of times you snack between meals. This will minimize the number of acid attacks your teeth receive.
From the standpoint of dental health, the following snacks are reasonable choices: lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, tofu, seeds, nuts, peanut butter (without sugar), milk, cheese, plain (not flavored) yogurt, raw vegetables, lowfat lunchmeats, popcorn, sugarless gum and coffee or tea without sugar. Of course, you should also keep your overall health in mind when choosing a snack. Some of the foods on this list are high in fat, salt or sodium, or caffeine. If your physician has advised you to avoid such foods, follow his or her advice. It is usually best to eat a variety of foods for snacks and to choose foods that contain a high level of nutrients. Select Foods Wisely Foods that contain sugars of any kind can contribute to tooth decay. Yet these foods cannot be eliminated from our diets, as many of them are important sources of nutrients and add enjoyment to eating. The best way to deal with this problem is to eat foods that contain sugars with meals, when they are less harmful to teeth, and to avoid them as between-meal snacks. Be particularly careful about the use of so-called health or natural foods. Although many of these foods are nutritious and tasty, they are often high in honey, molasses, dates, raisins, and other sticky, sugar-containing ingredients that are not good for your teeth. Other Important Factors Frequency of Eating Each time you eat a food that contains carbohydrates, the teeth are attacked by acids for 20 minutes or more. The more often you eat these foods, the more acid attacks you have. Between-meal snacking can be particularly harmful. Physical Characteristics of Food Foods such as raisins, dates, dried fruits, and toffee tend to stick to the teeth. As long as they remain in the mouth, the bacteria in plaque continue to produce enamel-destroying acids. Time Needed to Eat the Food Foods such as hard candy, cough drops, and breath mints stay in the mouth for long periods of time. During this time, the teeth are attacked by acids. When the Food is Eaten If foods that contain carbohydrates are eaten as part of a meal, they are less dentally harmful than if they are eaten alone. One reason for this may be that saliva production is increased during a meal. Saliva helps neutralize acid production and helps to clear the food out of the mouth. What is Eaten Along with Food Some research now indicates that certain foods, such as cheese, peanuts, or sugar-free chewing gum, may be "friendly" to the teeth. Eating these foods along with, or after, foods that contain carbohydrates may help to counter the effects of the acids produced by the bacteria in plaque. A Reminder: Good dental health depends on more than diet alone. Don't' forget to do the other things necessary for healthy teeth and gums: Brush your teeth thoroughly with a fluoride toothpaste at least once a day, more often if you can. Floss your teeth daily, to remove plaque from under the gumline and the sides of teeth. These are areas that a toothbrush cannot reach. Visit your dentist regularly. This will ensure professional cleaning of your teeth, when necessary, and the early identification and treatment of any dental problems. Together with a balanced diet, daily use of fluoride, and sensible eating habits, these measures can reduce the risk of or even prevent dental disease. By adopting this program, you can help yourself to good dental health - today, tomorrow, and for the rest of your life. Our Mission Statement • Dental Health News |
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Choose Reasonable Snacks
