Snacking Can Increase the Chances of Tooth Decay by Eating Away at Your Enamel
Posted on 4/20/2018 by Office
In a culture where snacking and snack foods are practically an official past time, it is no surprise that it has its own subculture, where the colorful, extreme snack is king.
Of course, they are almost always absolutely packed with every natural enemy to our teeth, and especially our teeth's natural protector, enamel. Sugar, starches and acids.
Why Can't We All Just Get Along with Snacks?
We aren't just feeding our bodies with all the bad things snacks have to offer, but also bacteria. And bacteria have an insatiable appetite that, left alone, won't stop until it has devoured the snack AND your enamel.
The powerful one-two-three punch of starches being immediately turned into sugar by our saliva and then becoming acidic and sticking to crevices between our teeth is a round won by bacteria if we're not careful.
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Be smarter about your snack intake. Snacking less often, snacking healthier, and being mindful of WHEN you're snacking are all important. We tend to overindulge when mindlessly snacking in front of a computer or TV. When we snack often, we don't let the healing properties of our saliva neutralize the dangerous acids effectively. Raw veggies, many lower-acidic fruits, and nuts are all much better for your teeth AND body.
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Drink plenty of water between snacks. Even if we can't always brush between each snack, drinking water can go a long way in washing away cavity-causing bacteria.
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Brush/floss between snacks when possible. The best way to eat the snacks we crave while giving our precious teeth the best care is to brush and/or floss away sticky foods that are a smorgasbord for bacteria. Just be careful not to brush for at least 20 minutes after a highly acidic snack that has weakened your tooth's enamel.
No matter how well you brush and floss, regular visits to our office for cleaning and care are vital to your dental health. Show that enamel some love and call us for your routine cleaning!
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In a culture where snacking and snack foods are practically an official past time, it is no surprise that it has its own subculture, where the colorful, extreme snack is king. 
