How Your Summer Eating Habits and Diet May Be Affecting Your Teeth

Is Your Summer Diet Helping or Hurting Your Smile? What You Need to Know

From picnics and poolside parties to backyard barbecues and summer soirees, this season is jam-packed with warm-weather food and fun. Summer is the perfect time of year to chill with friends and family and kick back and relax, but if you’re not careful, you could find yourself facing unexpected dental issues.

Many of the treats that make summer so enjoyable can also take a heavy toll on your smile. At New Castle Dental Associates, we explain how you can protect your smile while still enjoying fun in the sun all season long.

Guilt-Free Pleasures

Some of the best summer foods are also great for your teeth. Think veggie trays filled with crunchy broccoli florets, carrot and celery sticks, grapes, slices of apples and pears, and other produce. These flavorful chip alternatives have all the crunch you crave without any of the unhealthy processed carbs you don’t want, and they act as natural toothbrushes, scrubbing away plaque and debris while stimulating saliva flow to neutralize acid and rinse your teeth.

Instead of conventional dips, add a yogurt-based veggie dip. You’ll get a powerful punch of enamel-building calcium and phosphate. Cheese is another great summer snack that can neutralize oral acids, pairs well with many fruits and veggies, and fits perfectly into picnic baskets.

Nuts can be another great snack alternative in the summer. They’re packed with protein, phosphorus, and calcium, which are necessary for tooth and gum health, and they’re low in sugar. They also help mechanically clean teeth, much like fibrous fruits and veggies.

Staying hydrated is critical in the summer, and there’s no better way to do this than with water. Water flushes food particles from your mouth and keeps oral tissues healthy. Add ice to keep your water chilly if you want, but don’t bite or chew on your ice. This can crack or otherwise damage your teeth.

Melons are another great way to hydrate and are plentiful in the summer. Try a big juicy slice of watermelon or a bowl of mixed melon chunks with tooth- and gum-building vitamins A, C, and lycopene.

Proceed with Caution: Guilty Pleasures

Summer is all about indulging in your favorite delights, and that includes food. While we don’t want to rain on your summer party plans, we do want to ensure you’re aware of the best ways to protect your smile even while enjoying your favorite treats.

Some of these should be enjoyed in moderation, including:

• Sticky snacks and foods, including barbecues, sweet sauces and syrups, cotton candy, and processed foods, which can stick to your teeth and promote decay
• Sweets and frozen treats, like ice cream and popsicles, which feed oral bacteria and can erode enamel, leading to sensitivity and cavities
• Sports drinks, soft drinks, and other acidic or sugary drinks, which can erode enamel and promote decay

Limiting consumption of these summer faves is a good start. When you do indulge, be sure to rinse your mouth with water immediately to dilute oral acids. Wait about 30 minutes before brushing since acids can weaken enamel.

As always, be sure to brush and floss twice a day during the summer, and schedule a dental checkup and cleaning twice a year. The summer is a great time to mark this task off your to-do list! Call our office today at (302) 352-2321 or visit us online to make your appointment.