Quick Dental Snack Bites On Cavities
by Dr. Rita Dargham D.M.D.
Read Quick Dental Snack Bites On Cavities by Dr. Rita Dargham D.M.D. to learn more about Grove Smiles® Dentistry and our Dentistry office in Coconut Grove, FL.
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September madness of activities is in full swing! As we are trying to balance of all of our daily activities, we sometimes begin a pattern of a “what’s easier at the moment” attitude. Unfortunately, that also can become a poor habit in our choices for what we choose to eat and when we eat.
Proper Nutrition 101
We know that proper nutrition is crucial for you and your family’s growth and development. But did you know it is also essential for your dental health?
A simple rule is that a good diet can help your child build strong, healthy teeth, while regular poor eating habits put your teeth in danger of cavities and tooth decay.
The Inbetweeners – Snack Time Choices
We may be conquering and balancing our regular meals nutritiously, but the one time that may get away from us quickly is Snack Time – those quick in between quick bite times that may too often become your main meals if you are not careful. To help here are a few tips to help make sure your snack time is not only nutritious but tooth-friendly.
1. For our in between meal times, it is best to opt for fruits, vegetables, nuts, yogurt, and cheese. Try to stay away from starchy, sticky or sugary foods, like dried fruit, crackers, chips and cookies. These types of snacks will stick to the teeth for extended periods of time, potentially causing cavities.
2. Eat your sweet treats at meal times. At your main meals, your mouth produces an increased amount of saliva to allow you to taste your food and help you break down your food for digestion. This production of saliva also enables the mouth to wash away those starches and sugary treats; plus, counteract the acid-producing bacteria and remineralize your teeth.
3. Beware of Added Sugars. Almost all foods have naturally occurring sugars. Naturally occurring sugars–like those found in milk and vegetables–are less bothersome, since these choices are healthy overall. What you do want to keep an eye out for when choosing snacks are the additional sugars added by the recipes of man.
The current guidelines set by the American Dental Association state that added sugar consumption should be limited to less than 10 percent of total energy intake, ideally to less than five percent. To put simply, one can of soda is equivalent to three times the daily recommended sugar intake of a child. Yikes!
Understanding Best Choices In Beverages
With the importance of hidden sugars not only for our waistlines but our oral health, we would like to advise your to choose your beverages wisely. Soda and juice may be you or your family’s preferred drinks, but milk and water are much the healthier choices. Milk is an excellent source of calcium which is utilized in building healthy teeth and bones. While refreshing water helps wash away food particles that may be clinging to teeth protecting against decay while rehydrating your body for overall health.
Not Just What You Drink But When
Small frequent drinks are an essential for overall health, but be careful of constant sipping of beverages besides water throughout the day. Continual consumption of either food or drink is harmful to teeth, because not only are you feeding yourself, you’re also feeding the cavity-causing bacteria that resides in your mouth. The best recommendation is to limit snacking and sip on water. If you prefer to drink anything that contains sugar, drink it during mealtimes or all at once.
Great Dentist Ready To Help in Coconut Grove, FL
We are proud to help generations of families create and maintain healthy smiles. So call today as our team at Grove Smiles Dentistry is here to work with you and your family in treating and preventing tooth decay so that your whole family can have a healthy life and a cavity-free smile!
For Your Health,
Dr. Rita Dargham D.M.D.
