Best Snacks For Teeth

You may not think about your teeth when you're snacking. You probably choose snacks based on the nutritional side of things - or maybe you just care about taste and satisfaction. But the truth is, your snacks have a direct impact on your oral health.

The best snacks for teeth are basically the ones that don't leave anything behind for bacteria to turn into acid. That immediately rules out the vast majority of junk you’ll see in the snack aisle. It doesn’t mean you have to settle, though.

From melt-in-your-mouth meat chips to cheese, fresh fruit, nuts/seeds, and more - you have plenty of options to pick from. Learn more about the best unprocessed snacks to buy that won't make your hygienist give you that look.

How Your Snack Habit Impacts Oral Health

We probably don’t have to remind you that what you eat can make or break your oral health. But why is it so important? Bacteria in your mouth produce acid as they eat the residual sugar left behind from your last snack. That acid eats your enamel. That’s where cavities come into play.

This cycle kicks off every time you snack and runs for about 20 minutes. In other words, your teeth are basically marinating in acid all day long if you're grazing on the wrong stuff. 

That's the part nobody thinks about. It's not just what you snack on. It's that you snack six times between lunch and dinner. Healthy snacks for teeth skip the sugar and don't glue themselves to your molars. But more importantly, they bring something your enamel can actually use to fight back - calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, and more. 

What Are the Best Snacks For Teeth?

Snacks that are good for teeth have a few common traits: low sugar, high protein, and they don't hang around in your mouth after you eat them.

Carnivore Snax Meat Chips

No sugar, carbs, or anything sticking to your teeth. These carnivore chips are a dentist’s dream come true, and you’re going to love them as well. They’re whole cuts of premium meat with Redmond Real Salt. That's the whole ingredient list. Plus, there’s something for everyone:

• Ribeye Chips are the best seller. 
• Steak Chips are New York Strip with the fat cap intact. 
• Brisket Chips for when you want something smoky. 
• Beef Chips are coin-sized, good for snacking. 
• Pork Chips have a bacon vibe going on. 
• Chicken Chips if poultry's more your speed. 

They start out light and airy, but then they begin melting in your mouth - almost like a pastry, but without the guilt. No residue or anything for bacteria to do its bidding with. The best snacks for teeth in our book.

Nuts and Seeds

Almonds and cashews have a ton of calcium and chewing them gets your saliva going, helping your mouth fights acid on its own. Just don't buy the honey-roasted ones. That sugar coating cancels out everything good about them. Raw or dry-roasted are the best snacks for teeth.

Cheese

Cheese actually raises the pH in your mouth after you eat it. Less acid = less enamel damage. The calcium and casein content help rebuild what acid wears down. 

String cheese in particular is one of the best healthy snacks for kids' teeth out there. They'll actually eat it, which puts it ahead of 90% of the other options.

Yogurt

We need to be clear - we’re talking plain. Not the strawberry kind with 20 grams of sugar hiding in it. Plain yogurt has probiotics that help your gums and calcium that rebuilds enamel. On the other hand, flavored yogurt has about the same sugar as a candy bar.

Just read the label before you assume it's healthy. Get it right, and this is also one of the better anti-inflammatory snacks out there. Inflamed gums are where most dental problems start before you ever get a cavity.

Fresh Fruit

Apples are the move here because they’re crunchy, loaded with water, and basically scrub your teeth while you eat them. Oranges are fine in moderation, but citrus has a lot of acid that can erode enamel over time. 

Warning: fruit juice is a no. It’s just sugar water with a health label on it. Eat the fruit whole if you want snacks that are good for teeth.

Whole Grain Crackers or Chips

We get it. Sometimes you want something crunchy. But don’t resort to potato chips or any other cheap junk. Whole grain is the way to go. These types of crackers/chips won’t convert to sugar in your mouth as fast as crackers made from white flour, so they’re easier on your enamel. 

Pair them with cheese or almond butter and you've got healthy snacks for kids teeth that actually work as an after-school treat. Check the label, though. Half the stuff that says “whole grain” on the box has sugar in the first five ingredients.

What Are the Worst Snacks For Oral Health?

Knowing what snacks are good for teeth is great, but you should also be aware of the bad stuff you want to steer clear of.

Candy

Obvious, but still needs to be said. Hard candy bathes your teeth in sugar while it dissolves. Chewy candy gets into every gap and stays there for hours. Sour candy is the worst of all because it's acidic AND sugary at the same time. 

If you're trying to cut sugar without feeling deprived, we’ve got a separate list covering the best sugar-free snacks. You’d be surprised how satisfying they are!

Cookies

These coat the mouth in sugar and starch at the same time. The starch converts to more sugar in your mouth, and the crumbly texture packs into your molars and just sits there. Snacks that are good for teeth don't paste themselves between your back teeth. 

Sugary Snacks

Granola bars, fruit snacks, yogurt-covered anything - even the stuff that doesn’t feel so sinister can cause more harm than good. Yet, it’s marketed like health food. That’s the trap so many parents (and adults feeding themselves, for that matter) fall into. 

The sticky textures cling to enamel and the sugar content feeds bacteria for hours after you finish. If corn syrup shows up in the first three ingredients, your teeth don't want it.

Dried Fruit

This one is a little convoluted. People think it’s healthy, and technically, the vitamins are there. But the sugar is way more concentrated than fresh fruit, and the texture acts just like candy in your mouth. 

Raisins are basically gummy bears as far as your teeth are concerned. Not the best healthy snacks for kids teeth. Give them the fresh version instead.

Starchy Chips or Crackers

White flour breaks down into sugar almost instantly in your mouth. Then it packs into the grooves of your molars and sits there. Bacteria love this. Want something crunchy? Our meat chips are just protein and salt. Much better option.

Wrapping Up Our Guide to Healthy Snacks For Teeth

The best snacks for teeth aren't complicated. Avoid sugar and starch. Eat things that don't stick to your enamel. Better yet, eat snacks that feed your teeth what they need. Stick with whole foods, and you should be fine. Happy snacking!

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