I’m trying to get better about what I eat for my teeth, but honestly, it’s confusing. Like, is dried fruit worse than candy? I’ve heard cheese is good, but then someone told me citrus is terrible for enamel. I’m a sucker for sour gummies, and now I’m paranoid every time I eat them. What foods have totally wrecked your teeth, or actually helped? Any snacks you swear by (or avoid like the plague)?
Dried fruit totally fooled me for years—I thought it was “healthy,” but my kid’s dentist said it’s basically like sticky candy for your teeth. We switched to cheese sticks and apple slices for snacks, and honestly, it’s made a difference. Cheese seems to help, but citrus is tricky... my kid loves oranges, so I just try to space them out and rinse with water after. Has anyone found a good alternative for sour candy cravings? That’s the one we still struggle with.
I get what you mean about dried fruit—it’s weird how it gets hyped as a health food, then you realize it’s basically like gluey sugar for your teeth. Cheese is great, but I’ve always wondered about apples... I know they’re crunchy and not sticky, but my dentist once mentioned the natural sugars can still be an issue if you’re snacking on them all day.
As for the sour candy cravings, my kid’s got that same obsession. We tried those freeze-dried fruit snacks (like freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries)—they’ve got that tart hit without the stickiness, though they’re still sugary. Sometimes we just go with plain yogurt and mix in a little lemon zest or a few berries to get that tang. Not quite candy, but it seems to scratch the itch.
I do think rinsing after citrus helps, but I was told to wait a bit before brushing since acids can soften enamel temporarily... something I never would’ve thought about before dealing with my own enamel issues.
I’ve definitely fallen into the “apples are healthy, eat as many as you want” trap. Turns out, if you’re crunching through half a dozen a day (guilty), your teeth might not be thrilled about the constant sugar bath. Freeze-dried fruit is sneaky too—kind of like eating fruity packing peanuts, but somehow my kid loves them. And yeah, the whole “don’t brush right after citrus” thing blew my mind. I used to think brushing immediately was peak dental hygiene, but apparently I was just sanding my enamel... whoops.
I used to think brushing immediately was peak dental hygiene, but apparently I was just sanding my enamel... whoops.
Cheese is honestly my go-to snack now, mostly because it doesn’t make my teeth feel weird after. I used to eat a ton of dried mango thinking it was healthy—my dentist found two cavities that year. The sticky stuff just lingers way too long.
