Your diet plays an important role in your oral health. By choosing healthier summer snacks, you can avoid an unfortunate cavity and subsequent dental treatment at your Mississauga dentist. In this article, Bristol Dental Clinic will offer seven healthy and tasty snacks you can try this summer.
But First, What to Avoid:
Sugary Snacks
By now, you’ve likely heard that sugar is bad for your oral health. In fact, lowering your sugar intake is one of the best things you can do for the short-term and long-term health of your teeth and gums!
Although the temptation of super-sweet snacks exists throughout the year, it’s particularly high during hot summer days. After all, people often gravitate toward sugary foods while seeking relief from the heat.
Additionally, many beloved summer activities place Ontarians right in sugar’s path. You may grab your favourite sweet treat before heading to the lake, fair, family reunion, or BBQ in the park. These sugary indulgences taste great at the moment; however, they’re terrible for your mouth.
Whenever you consume sugar, the naturally occurring bacteria in your mouth do, too. The bacteria eat up the sugar and produce acid as a result. Your mouth becomes an acidic environment, which wears down your teeth’s protective enamel.
Plaque also builds up on your teeth as bacteria and sugar mix. Tiny holes form in the weakened enamel, allowing bacteria to penetrate the inner layers of your teeth and form a cavity.
Therefore, you need to keep your sugar intake in check, even on the hottest days of summer! For example, avoid candy, caramel, taffy, ice cream, cake, cookies, etc.
Sweet Drinks
As bad as sugary snacks are for your oral health, sweet drinks are no better. Sugary beverages effectively bathe your teeth in sugar every time you take a sip. Your teeth have even more contact with sugar, which increases your risk of developing cavities in the long term.
Pop, slushies, fruit juices, and sweet alcoholic beverages should be avoided or kept to a minimum.
Ice Cubes and Other Hard Snacks
Sugar isn’t the only thing that can compromise your oral health. Hard snacks can also be damaging.
As temperatures begin to soar, some people (especially children) opt for chewing on ice cubes to cool down. However, ice cubes are too hard to be consumed safely. It’s very easy to break a tooth like this! To avoid a dental emergency, skip the ice cubes and drink a cold glass of water instead.
7 Teeth-Friendly Summer Snacks
1. Fresh fruit
Whole fresh fruit is full of water, vitamins, minerals, and delicious flavours, making it the perfect summer snack. The high water content helps to keep you hydrated and prevents dry mouth (which promotes tooth decay development), while the nutrients support the health of your teeth and gums.
Seedless fruits are the best, since seeds can get stuck in your teeth. Think bananas, apples, blueberries, mandarin oranges, pineapple, cantaloupe, and mango. You can also make fruit skewers as a fun, tasty, and easy grab-and-go snack.
2. Banana ice cream
Regular dairy ice cream contains a lot of sugar, so it’s a good idea to look for alternatives this summer. Banana ice cream is a great option. It contains no additional sugars and no lactose for our lactose-intolerant patients. The banana creates a soft, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s reminiscent of standard ice cream.
You can find many different recipes online with varying ingredients and flavours. The simplest option contains banana and almond milk—nothing else. Of course, you can add other fruits or berries for a natural burst of your favourite flavours.
3. Smoothies
Smoothies are refreshing and hydrating, and can be loaded with healthy ingredients. With so many possibilities for variations, there is a smoothie for everyone. Just take a quick look online to discover your new favourite summer snack.
Smoothies can be thick like a milkshake, cool and refreshing like a Frosty, or anywhere in between. You can mimic a wide range of flavours with natural ingredients and superfoods, such as cacao and maca.
4. Crunchy vegetables
Many vegetables provide a satisfying crunch without the unhealthy ingredients found in party foods, like potato chips. Furthermore, raw vegetables are nature’s toothbrush.
Their fibrous nature naturally scrubs your teeth and stimulates saliva flow to wash away any lingering food particles. Some vegetables, like cucumbers and tomatoes, also contain lots of water, helping you stay hydrated in the summer heat.
At your next summer gathering, lay out a tray of raw carrot sticks, celery, snap peas, broccoli, and cauliflower. For even more deliciousness, include a healthy vegetable dip.
5. Hummus
Speaking of a healthy vegetable dip, look no further than hummus! Hummus is good for you and very tasty with raw vegetables. It’s made from chickpeas, lemon, olive oil, garlic, and tahini (sesame seed butter).
Consequently, hummus is high in protein, healthy fats, and other nutrients. You can make hummus at home with a blender or pick up your favourite flavour at the supermarket.
Furthermore, you can sneak additional vegetables into your diet by blending them into your hummus, such as beetroot, sweet potato, or red pepper.
6. Guacamole
Guacamole is another ultra-healthy dip that’s good for you and your teeth. Made from avocados, guacamole is rich in the healthy fats your body needs to thrive. You can use it as a dip for fresh vegetables, natural tortilla chips, or pitas. Of course, it also works as a spread on sandwiches, wraps, or burritos. You can’t go wrong with avocado toast, either.
7. Dairy products
Dairy products are rich in calcium, which is important for strong teeth and healthy enamel—just watch out for added sugars!
You can make frozen yogurt bites using Greek yogurt, or simply top a bowl of yogurt with fresh berries. Some companies load their yogurt products with additional and unnecessary sugars, so read the ingredients list before purchasing. Super-sweet dairy products do more harm than good.
Bristol Dental Clinic: Home of Your Favourite Mississauga Dentist
Your at-home oral habits—notably, your choice of summer snacks—play a crucial role in the health of your teeth and gums. By choosing healthier snacks and beverages this summer, you can do your part to prevent tooth decay and other oral health conditions.
However, you also need to visit your Mississauga dentist! At Bristol Dental Clinic, our team of knowledgeable and passionate dentists help ensure your long-term oral health. As a fully digital dental clinic, we provide the highest standards of dental care in Mississauga. Contact us today to schedule your next routine cleaning and checkup.
To book an appointment in Mississauga, call Bristol Dental Clinic at 866-673-2109 or contact us here.
