Believe it or not, not every healthy food or activity is without risk to your dental health.
Our team at Northwest Dental Group wants to make sure you’re not unwittingly damaging your teeth or increasing your chances for weak enamel, tooth decay, or gum disease as you work to make healthier lifestyle choices in general.
What’s Healthy For Your Body May Be Bad For Your Teeth!
Here are a few healthy habits that may be great for your body, but not-so-great for your teeth:
*Laps In The Pool*
Swimming laps or doing water aerobics are wonderful cardio exercises, especially if you’re someone who suffers from joint or muscle pain with more conventional workouts.
But chlorine, namely the incredibly high levels you find in public pools, is very acidic and can erode your tooth enamel significantly if you’re not careful.
In fact, research has even shown that routine swimmers suffer from problems with their dental health more than non-swimmers.
So it’s important to pay attention to how much pool water you’re allowing to come into contact with your teeth when you swim!
*Juicing & Fruit Smoothies*
A fruit smoothie and a glass of juice you’ve just crushed through one of those hi-tech juicers aren’t really in the same health category, but the effects that each can have on your teeth are similar.
Juicing breaks down whole fruits and vegetables into liquid form, so it’s incredibly healthy, minus the sugar naturally found in these foods. Smoothies can be healthy, too, depending on your ingredients, although there’s a lot more room for error in terms of calories and added sugar.
What both beverages share is acidity.
Citrus fruits are especially acidic, which means your tooth enamel is at risk for erosion when you eat, or drink, your fruit. So just be mindful of what’s in your fruit drink and how often you’re exposing your teeth to this much acidity.
*Raisins*
Raisins and other dried fruits are nature’s candy.
That’s certainly better than scarfing down a chocolate candy bar to get through those mid-afternoon energy lulls, right?
True, fruit in any form is a healthier option for overall nutrition, but there’s one downside to this particular snack.
Raisins are sticky, and sadly, they’re loaded with sugar. Fruit already contains sugar, but the fiber you get in their natural form can help to balance that out. Drying it zaps it of the fiber, and all you have left is sticky, sugary goodness for all the bad bacteria in your mouth to feast on.
*Air-Popped Popcorn*
You’ve managed to resist the salt, oils, butter, and artificial flavors of microwave novelty popcorn and are making the switch to air-popped popcorn. This is a great choice in terms of calories saved and additives avoided.
But popcorn, no matter how diet-friendly it is, can be sort of a risky snack for your teeth.
Not only is it easy to get those pesky kernel layers stuck between your teeth or wedged into your gums, but we’ve been practicing dentists for long enough to know that popcorn kernels themselves can easily break or chip a tooth.
Don’t assume that you have to give up on this healthy snack option entirely. Just be extra cautious when eating popcorn and try to steer clear of unpopped kernels as much as you can!
Take Advantage Of Nutritional Counseling!
Your efforts to get and stay healthy should be applauded! It puts you at an advantage to already have a sense of what’s good for your body and overall wellness.
But just make sure that what you’re doing and what you’re eating isn’t trading one health issue for another. Our team at Northwest Dental Group offers nutritional counseling, as well as comprehensive general and preventive dentistry services, to help you maintain your healthiest smile!
Call us today at 507-315-2932 or fill out our online form to schedule an appointment in Rochester, MN!
