15 Best Snacks to Support Your Oral Health

We all know that protecting our oral and dental health is important for our overall wellbeing. Regular brushing, flossing and dental checkups are one important way of keeping a healthy mouth, teeth and gums. But what about the foods we choose to eat? Our daily dietary choices can either be helpful or harmful to our oral health. Read on to find out how the food and drink we consume influence our oral health and how to make healthy choices for a healthy mouth.

What Is the Relationship Between Diet and Oral Health?

The choices we make about what to eat and drink every day can have a significant impact on our oral health. Choosing foods that are high in sugar, salt or starches can cause plaque to build up on your teeth and gums. Carbonated drinks can also decay the tissues in your mouth, especially if they are sweetened with sugar. Certain medications and drinks like alcohol have a drying effect on the mouth. Dry mouths lack saliva, which is important for breaking down the acid produced by our mouth when we eat. Chronic underproduction of saliva can increase your risk of dental and oral health issues.

Is Snacking Bad for Your Oral Health?

Choosing the right foods at meal and snack times is one part of the equation between diet and dental health. It is also important to consider your timing of meals and snacks. This is especially important for food containing starchy or sugary carbohydrates. Studies have shown that consuming sugary, starchy food too often in a single day can increase how much your enamel is attacked by acids in the mouth. If you usually graze all day, it might be worth trying to consume more substantial meals and snacks with a few hours in between them.

Every time you eat or drink, your mouth becomes more acidic to start breaking down the food into nutrients and energy for the body to use. The acidity of your mouth increases within seconds of consuming food but can take up to 30 minutes to return to its baseline acidity (pH) level. If you eat too regularly, your mouth will be almost constantly acidic. Over time, the acid in your mouth will decay your tooth enamel, leading to an increased risk of cavities and other oral health issues.

While some food choices are harmful to your dental and oral health, others are beneficial for your health and can help you keep a healthy mouth. Fibrous, water-rich fruits and vegetables are great choices because chewing them encourages the production of saliva. Saliva counters the eroding effect of sugars, starches and mouth acids that are released to break down food. Fluoridated water, sugar-free gum and foods rich in calcium are also great when you want a snack or meal that won’t put your dental health at risk.

15 Snacks to Support Your Oral Health

Excessive snacking and grazing may not be great for your teeth, but luckily there is no reason to forego snacks altogether. When spaced out correctly, snacks can be a great way to meet your nutritional needs and get a range of vitamins and minerals needed for good overall health, including oral health. Choosing the right types of snacks can also reduce the amount of acid your mouth produces to break it down. Here are some of the best snack options to support your oral health.

1. Yoghurt

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Dairy products encourage your mouth to produce more saliva. Saliva coats the teeth, gums and mouth to protect them against decay as a result of sugar or acid. Yoghurt also contains calcium, helping promote stronger teeth and bones. Dairy can help to balance the pH levels in your mouth, reducing overall acid content that can lead to decay and erosion. Pair some low-fat, unsweetened yoghurt with fruit, berries or nuts for a satiating, healthy snack that is good for your teeth. 

2. Cheese

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Just like yoghurt, cheese is a great dental-friendly snack that helps you produce saliva and reinforces your teeth with important minerals like calcium and phosphorus. Pair low-fat cheese with wholegrain crackers or bread, and add some fresh, crunchy vegetables for a nutritious snack.

3. Nuts

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Nuts are high in healthy fats, which are important for your overall health and wellbeing. Nuts such as almonds also offer high amounts of calcium and protein and are naturally low in sugar. Pair raw, unsalted nuts with a serving of fruit to get a great dose of nutrients and flavour without added sugars.

4. Black and Green Tea

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While not exactly a snack, plain, unsweetened green and black teas are a dental-friendly choice. Green and black tea leaves are naturally rich in a compound called polyphenols. Polyphenols protect your teeth by killing or inhibiting bacteria growth in the mouth. This prevents the bacteria from releasing acid that causes teeth decay or plaque build-up. If you make your tea with tap water, you are also getting a good dose of teeth-protecting fluoride.

5. Apples

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Apples are an amazing, convenient, portable snack that is a great substitute for sugar-sweetened snacks like candies or cakes. Apples are rich in vitamins and water, and the fibrous texture can help to scrape away food particles from stickier, starchier foods that can stick to your teeth. Next time you crave a sweet treat, grab an apple and pair it with some almond butter for a delicious, healthy and dentist-approved snack.

6. Carrots

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Carrots are another great choice because of their fibrous, crunchy texture. Carrots can help satisfy hunger between meals without excess starchy or sugary carbohydrates. They can also help ‘scrub’ your teeth between meals.

7. Celery

Like apples and carrots, celery has a lot of fibre and can help remove food build-up from your teeth and gums. Celery is very high in water and low in sugar, making it a great choice for your overall wellbeing, including your oral health.

8. Leafy Greens

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Chewing on raw salad vegetables like baby spinach, lettuce, and rocket lettuce is great for our dental health. Salad leaves are rich in important minerals and strengthen your teeth due to the grinding and chewing required to break down the fibres in the greens. Some greens also provide a great plant-based source of calcium which strengthens your enamel. Greens are especially important for people who don’t consume dairy due to allergies or dietary restrictions like veganism. 

9. Oranges

You may think of oranges as acidic foods and, therefore, not a dental-friendly option. However, oranges are among the less acidic of the citrus fruit group. They are also rich in vitamin C, which is important for healthy blood vessels, including those in your mouth and gums. Oranges are high in fibre and water, making them a delicious sweet treat that your dentist will approve of.

10. Tofu

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Meat and dairy are not the only great sources of protein, phosphorus and calcium. Tofu is rich in all of these nutrients, without the saturated fat that can be found in high amounts in some animal products. Eating an adequate daily amount of protein and calcium is important for your overall health, so consider making tofu a staple in your diet, especially if you are vegan or don’t eat animal products. Don’t like tofu? No worries. There are so many creative uses for it that you may not have considered. Here’s a delicious tofu scramble recipe that will fool even the biggest egg-lover and a creative chocolate tofu mousse that is naturally creamy and low in added sugars.

11. Canned Sardines With Bones

Canned fish with bones is an amazing choice for your dental health. Sardines are rich in calcium and vitamin D, both of which support healthy bone and tooth development. The edible bones are also full of teeth-strengthening fluoride.

12. Cucumber

Cucumbers are another high-fibre, low-sugar and water-rich vegetable that you can snack on carefree. Pair them with low-fat hummus or another healthy dip for a snack that supports your overall wellbeing, including healthy teeth.

13. Rice Cakes or Oat Cakes

When you want something crunchy, opt for rice or oat cakes instead of potato chips. The starch in chips sticks to your teeth and can cause erosion of your enamel, increasing the risk of decay and infection. Rice and oat cakes are lower in tooth-eroding sugars and starches while providing a satisfying savoury snack. While these options are less starchy than other choices, it is still worth rinsing your mouth with water after consuming them in high quantities.  

14. Xylitol Sugar-Free Chewing Gum

Chewing sugar-free gum between meals is a great way to stimulate saliva production to rinse away acids and sugars that have built up over the course of the day. Gums sweetened with xylitol are an even better option, as this compound can kill harmful bacteria that cause plaque to build up and stick to your teeth.

15. Zollipops

When fruit and vegetables don’t cut your candy cravings, Zollipops can come to your rescue. They were designed and invented by a 7-year-old Alina Morse, who wondered why there wasn’t a candy that was good for your teeth. So, she decided to make it herself. Zollipops are sugar-free and come in a range of flavours, all made with teeth-friendly ingredients like xylitol and stevia.

Snacks to Avoid to Protect Your Oral Health

Choose the above options wherever possible to ensure you are getting plenty of calcium, protein, and vitamins and minerals to keep your mouth, gums and teeth strong and healthy. In addition, you should limit your consumption of the following foods for you and your loved ones to avoid excessive acidity and sugar in the mouth, which can erode your teeth.

• Potato chips
• Sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages
• Gummy bears and sticky candies
• Marshmallows
• Sugary cereals
• Chocolate bars and toffees
• Cakes, tarts and sweet pastries
• Fruit roll-ups with added sugar.

How to Enjoy Snacks Without Harming Your Teeth

It’s not always easy to avoid foods that aren’t great for our teeth. While you should limit how much you consume foods that harm your dental and oral health, you don’t have to cut them out forever. Moderation is key, and there is room to enjoy the foods you love while also protecting your oral health. Here are some tips for enjoying the snacks you love in a way that is healthier for your teeth.

• Use a straw when drinking fizzy, sweet drinks to minimise contact with your teeth
• Consume sugary foods with your meals rather than as a snack in between to allow your mouth pH to rebalance
• Avoid snacking right before bed when your saliva production is lower
• Rinse your mouth with water after consuming sugary and starchy foods.

Other Ways to Support Your Oral Health

Choosing dental-friendly meals and snacks is a great way to improve oral health. It is also important to make dental hygiene and oral health a part of your regular daily routine. Other important ways to protect your teeth and keep your gums and mouth healthy are:

• Rinse well with water after eating
• Chew sugar-free gum after meals, especially those high in sugar or starch
• Wait 30 minutes after a meal or snack to brush your teeth. Brushing too soon after eating can damage the teeth by brushing the acids further into the tooth and gum.
• Brush at least twice a day with a small, round brush and fluoridated toothpaste.
• Floss at least once a day using dental floss or interdental brushes to clear food between the teeth that your toothbrush can’t reach.
  

How Homage Can Help

Staying on top of your dental health isn’t easy, especially if you are managing other health conditions or have limited mobility. This is where Homage’s team of highly trained, compassionate and dedicated Care Professionals come in. Our professional home nurses can assist with brushing teeth and performing general oral hygiene. Our support workers can assist with meal preparation, so you always have a healthy, dental-friendly meal and snack option at home. 

Our patient transport service can help you to attend medical check-ups and appointments so that you never have to delay dental or oral health care checkups or treatment. Early detection is crucial in maintaining a healthy mouth and enjoying good overall wellbeing. 

Contact us today for an obligation-free consultation with our Care Advisors to find out how we can best support you in your oral health journey today.