Many of the foods we love to eat can wreak serious havoc on our teeth. While we certainly can’t avoid brushing following meals, there are certain foods less likely to promote decay. If you consider yourself a foodie or you simply can’t resist that mid-day snack, here are a few menu items to take note of.
Dairy Products
Who doesn’t love cheese? The good news is that the occasional slice seems to agree with your teeth. Apart from its low sugar content, dairy products like cheese stimulate saliva and even fortify your teeth with enriched calcium.
You’ll want to be somewhat cautious about dairy products – just because chocolate milk has calcium doesn’t mean it’s good for your teeth. Avoid sugary dairy products and spring for more conscious selections like low-sugar yogurt.
Fruits and Veggies
Didn’t your mother always tell you to eat your vegetables? Foods like celery and carrots have very low sugar – you can even add a little flavor with different dips, provided they have low sugar content.
While fruits are very nutritious you still need to be mindful of your intake – they typically contain a high concentration of natural sugars. Make sure you drink plenty of water whenever you’re indulging.
Nuts
Natural nuts are great for keeping you full and giving you energy, and as an added bonus, they don’t wreck your smile! Try to steer away from candied nuts or those that have other added flavorings.
Whole Grain
Whole grain covers a wide spectrum – from baked snack crackers to sandwich bread, you have a lot of options here. Typically serving as the foundation to our snack or meal, it’s really the condiments you choose that you need to be weary of.
Water
You can almost never get enough water – unless you happen to be sitting as a passenger on a 10-hour trip. The purity of water allows us to drink it without feeling guilty about our teeth. Water also makes the perfect pairing to the food we eat, diminishing the harmful effects of sugary foods every sip.