Snacks for Teeth: What is Good and What is Bad

We all love snacks, but it is important to keep in mind that some of these snacks are extremely bad for the teeth, while others are good.

For instance, if you have got chocolate cravings, you should choose dark chocolate rather than any other type of chocolate or sticky candy or caramels.

The dark chocolate has got a high content of pure cocoa beans, and the higher the cocoa content, the healthier the chocolate. You can find on the supermarket shelves dark chocolate with 50% cocoa content, and even up to 90%+ cocoa content.

Dark chocolate is good for the teeth and the health in general because it contains an ingredient known as “tannis”, flavonoids and polyphenols. What you need to know about these ingredients is that they are all antioxidants, which are good for the health of the teeth.

If you select dark chocolate with 99% cocoa content, this delicious treat will not contain too much sugar or other synthetic ingredients so bad for the health. This dark chocolate is only slightly sweet, but it has got a very rich pure cocoa flavor. Moreover, it is good for the overall health, not only the teeth.

According to the AACD, or the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry the sticky and too sugary snacks are extremely bad for the teeth. They will all cause teeth staining, and will later on lead to dental cavities. Therefore, if you want something sweet, choose dark chocolate all the time!

Then, you should also avoid chewing on popcorn which is not popped, because dental fractures can happen extremely easily. Besides being a very painful experience, it will also cost you several hundreds of dollars to repair the damage.

Also, make sure to avoid the sour candies, because these have got a high content of citric acid and malic acid which are extremely bad for the natural tooth enamel. The enamel is the main protector of your teeth, and when the enamel is destroyed, your tooth structure gets exposed. This is how tooth sensitivity starts which is yet another quite common dental problem.

Sticky treats such as caramels should also be avoided. As you chew the caramel, the sticky bits and parts will get stuck on the surface of your tooth. Then, the bacteria will start feeding themselves from those sweet particles, and harmful acid will be formed.

Stay away from all kinds of bonbons and snacks that will allow the sugar to stick to your teeth (such as fruit and raisin based chewy candies).