Snacking Smart

Your teeth have a schedule. Mine do too, and every time a patient tells me they snack all day, I can usually tell by looking at their mouth.

Here's what happens when you eat or drink something sugary or carb-heavy: the bacteria in your mouth start eating it, produce acid, and that acid attacks your tooth enamel. This is an acid attack, plain and simple.

The good news? Your saliva can fix this. According to research published in the Journal of Dental Research, "saliva neutralizes the acid and starts remineralizing enamel. But it needs 20 to 30 minutes to do its job."

When you eat three meals a day, your teeth deal with three acid attacks. When you snack between meals every couple of hours, you're giving your teeth no recovery time. They're under constant attack.

Some snacks are worse than others. Sticky candy and dried fruit glue themselves to your teeth. Hard candy cracks teeth and sits there producing acid for hours. Chips break into particles that hide between teeth. Sugary drinks basically bathe your whole mouth in acid. Granola bars, bread, refined carbs, all break down into sugars within minutes.

What actually works? Cheese gives you calcium and phosphate. Nuts stimulate saliva production, which you want. Raw vegetables are nature's toothbrushes. Plain yogurt has calcium and probiotics. Water is always safe. And if you're looking for something sweet, xylitol-sweetened products actually prevent decay instead of causing it.

The practical stuff: if you're going to snack, do it with a meal rather than between meals. Rinse your mouth with water afterward. Don't brush right away because acid softens your enamel. Chew sugar-free gum if you want to stimulate saliva.

Small changes add up. Your teeth will thank you.