When it comes if providing your family with tasty but healthy snacks, parents often reach for fruit that will satisfy both sweet tooths and conscious eaters alike. However, what if we told you that constantly snacking on fruits, while good for your health, can be bad for your teeth? Here’s the truth about snacking on fruits that may surprise you.
Is Fruit Bad for My Teeth?
Fruit Contains a Lot of Sugar
While you may be choosing fruit to avoid having your children eat processed sugar that is present in other snacks, fruit also has a lot of sugar in it. While it is natural sugar, it still has the ability to lead to tooth decay. Fruits such as berries and melons sometimes have just as much sugar as processed food.
Should I Avoid Eating Fruit?
Well, no. Fruit still provides essential nutrients to our diets and is a much healthier alternative to processed snacks.
Balancing Fruit and Dental Health
If our bodies still need the nutrients that fruit provides, but the sugar in that fruit could do harm to your teeth, what are you supposed to do? Well, the answer is simple: practice good oral hygiene when you’re snacking.
The best way to protect yourself from tooth decay when eating fruits is to simply brush your teeth afterward. This will help get rid of any lingering sugars that the fruit could leave on your teeth and prevent cavities from forming. If you’re not able to brush your teeth right away, consider using mouthwash to get rinse out the sugars.