Because of our often busy lives, it may be quick and easy to snack throughout the day. Whether it’s sipping on soda or grabbing handfuls of chips, your favorite snacks could be causing more damage than they’re worth. These foods can cause damage to your gums and the development of periodontal disease. Below are just a few of the most popular snack items and a description of how they could affect your oral health.
Sticky Sweets
While candies and caramels might satisfy your sweet tooth, the refined sugar from these candies can linger on your teeth and in the pockets of your gums. Creating plaque and tartar that can attack your gums and lead to disease, most sticky candy is not a friend to your oral health.
Carbonated Soft Drinks
Loaded with sugar and phosphoric acid, soda can cause irreversible damage to your healthy gums. A good substitute for soda is a carbonated beverage without the loaded sugar and without the phosphoric acid. There are many flavored beverages on the market right now which give that same satisfaction from carbonation without the added sugar or phosphoric acid. A carbonated beverage without the loaded sugar will have fewer calories too!
Chips & Bread
Whether we grab a bag of chips with our favorite dip or make a piece of toast, both contain starch which converts to sugar and gets easily stuck between your teeth and deep in our gums. Much like with other sticky sweets, this trapped sugar can cause serious damage to your gums and push you towards periodontal disease.
Healthy Options
The best snacks for your teeth are those that contain compounds that are good for your oral health, such as calcium and natural antibacterial properties. Apples, carrots, celery, nuts, yogurt, and cheese top the list for oral health because of their high vitamin, mineral, fiber, and protein content. Just as convenient as the less healthy snacks on this list, your gums will thank you for these healthy alternatives.
At your next appointment, talk with our Alexandria Periodontist about other ways you can ensure your gum health. Contact Karl A. Smith, DDS, MS today. We look forward to seeing you!
