Everyone is guilty of snacking once in a while. When you’re not hungry enough for a full meal, grabbing a small bag of chips can satisfy you until its dinner time. But snacking can damage your teeth. Here, your Lexington Dentist, Dr. Cooper, wants to tell you about snacks to avoid, even though you may think you’re snacking right!

Hard and Soft Candies
The hard candies can contain large amounts of sugar, which, when you’re sucking the flavor out of it, goes directly to your teeth. Also, if you’re not careful, you can bite down on the candy and chip or break a tooth! On the opposite end, soft candies can damage your teeth because small pieces can get stuck on and in between the spaces. If these pieces linger on your mouth for too long, they can cause damage because they’re directly stuck to the surface.

Crackers
These can satisfy your hunger for a short amount of time for the carbohydrates, but when you’re chewing them, they can also get stuck because they’re mushy after being chewed. Many crackers are also covered in salt, which can quickly give you dry mouth. As long as you don’t eat a lot of crackers at once, and are able to floss and brush after consumption, you can easily enjoy a small amount.

Dried Fruits
While they may be easier to snack on because they’ll last longer, they’re dried out with processed sugars, and there’s a lot of it! You’re much better off eating real fruit. The dried fruit can dry out your mouth, get stuck in your teeth, and are overall hurting your teeth faster.

If you have any other questions about snacks to avoid, and want advice for better snacks to have, don’t hesitate to contact your Lexington Dentist, Dr. Cooper, at this number (859) 266-2570 or click here to make an appointment!