Healthy Snacks

Our Four Favorite Snack for Healthy Teeth

April 11th, 2019

Snacking often gets a bad rep because most people snack on junk food. But, you can rest easy knowing that there are healthy snacks that can actually improve your smile.

1 - Apples

Apples are packed with fiber, and that’s great news for teeth. Fiber is an excellent nutrient for mouth-health, and supports a healthy digestive system. Fibrous fruits and vegetables actually scrub teeth as they are being consumed, which helps remove bad mouth bacteria that lead to cavities and tooth decay. Apples contain about 4 grams of fiber, which is around 15% of the daily-recommended amount, depending upon age. Be sure to thoroughly rinse apples before eating them, and leave the skin on – which is a fantastic texture for scrubbing teeth.

2 - Cheese

Cheese is high in calcium, which promotes strong teeth and bones. But the benefits of cheese don’t end there. It also contains a protein called casein, which strengthens tooth enamel and helps keep cavities at bay. Cheese also helps prevent acid from destroying tooth enamel, and it’s a versatile snack that comes in countless varieties. Try finding a cheese that your child enjoys and pack them a few slices for the road. Cheese is easy to transport, and contains a lot of vital vitamins and nutrients that promote a healthy body and mouth.

3 - Carrots

Carrots are full of fiber and vitamin A. As you eat carrots, they stimulate saliva production which helps prevent the buildup of bad bacteria that can lead to cavities. Carrots are a great handheld snack that can be taken anywhere – which makes them easy to pack in a lunch! We suggest packing a small baggie of baby carrots for your child’s lunch as a mouth-healthy substitute for chips. You can make this snack even tastier (and more kid-friendly) by packing it with a bit of yogurt-based dip!

4 - Nuts

Nuts are another handy snack that promote a healthy mouth. Nuts are rich in protein, which helps to build stronger teeth. Chewing nuts promotes saliva production that naturally protects and cleans your teeth by clearing the mouth of debris and acid buildup that can lead to cavities. Nuts are a great healthy alternative to potato chips, or other salty snacks that your kids may crave.

Look for Nutritional Value

The nutritional make-up of mouth-healthy foods can really take your oral health to the next level. When purchasing food for mouth-health, look for foods that contain mouth-healthy vitamins and nutrient that support overall oral health. Vitamin A is essential for saliva production, and is found in oranges, carrots, kale and sweet potatoes. Vitamin C supports gum health, and promotes healthy oral tissue. You can find natural sources of Vitamin A in oranges, broccoli, kale and berries.

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These 4 “Healthy” Foods are Terrible for Teeth

January 24th, 2019

A healthy snack is always a great addition to any diet, but some healthy foods are terrible for teeth. Try limiting these damaging “healthy” foods in your child’s diet to help them maintain a healthy smile.

1 - Trail Mix

A fantastic substitute for unhealthy snack foods is trail mix. But, be careful! If you decide to serve your child trail mix, look out for unhealthy ingredients that can add unhealthy amounts of sugar and fat to their plate. Try to avoid trail mix that has chocolate, dried fruit, and candy. Look for mixes that are unflavored and don’t contain any added sweets.

2 - Dried Fruit

Fruit is always great, right? Wrong! Dried fruit is a food that you should avoid if you’re trying to improve your child’s oral health. Dried fruit contains much higher levels of sugar than their natural counterparts, and none of the water that helps make fruit so healthy. Let’s use prunes as an example. Prunes are just dried plums, except just one cup of prunes contains more than 400 calories and 45 grams of sugar. However, one plum contains just 75 calories and 16 grams of sugar. The bottom line is that you should choose fresh fruit and not dried fruit.

3 - Citrus Fruits

Fruit can be great for improving health, but it can sometimes damage teeth. Citric fruits like oranges, grapefruits, lemon and tangerines have a high amount of acid in them which can lead to tooth enamel erosion. If you serve your child citrus fruits, rinse their mouth out with water after they’re done eating to wash the acid away, and help prevent cavities from forming.

4 - Granola

Granola is typically advertised as a healthier alternative to cereal that people can add into their milk or yogurt for an added dietary benefit. But here’s what they’re not advertising: granola typically contains high amounts of sugar and fat. The added sugar can lead to tooth decay, and the high density of calories can leave your child hungry and cause them to overeat.

If you do choose granola, compare the nutritional values of your options and choose the one with the highest fiber content, and lowest amount of sugar.

Try Cheese or Fibrous Fruits!

Cheese is high in calcium, which promotes strong teeth. But the benefits of cheese don’t end there. It also contains a protein called casein, which strengthens tooth enamel and helps to prevent cavities. Cheese also helps prevent acid from destroying tooth enamel.

Fibrous fruits and vegetables like apples, carrots, celery and nuts are fantastic snacks that are healthy for teeth. That’s because the fibrous nature of these foods allow them to scrub teeth as they’re eaten, which cleans teeth of damaging sugar and acid buildup on the tooth’s surface.

Tags: Healthy Food, Healthy Snacks, Healthy Teeth, Oral Health

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