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What's wrong with sugary snacks, anyway?
How do sugars attack your teeth?
How can I "snack smart" to protect myself from tooth decay?
How can you snack smart?
Be choosy!Note to parents
Kids who consume sugary snacks eat many different kinds of sugar every day, including table sugar (sucrose) and corn sweeteners (fructose). Starchy snacks can also break down into sugars once they're in your mouth.
Did you know that the average American eats about 147 pounds of sugars a year? That's a big pile of sugar! No wonder the average 17-year-old in this country has more than three decayed teeth!
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Invisible germs called bacteria live in your mouth all the time. Some of these bacteria form a sticky material called plaque on the surface of the teeth. When you put sugar in your mouth, the bacteria in the plaque gobble up the sweet stuff and turn it into acids. These acids are powerful enough to dissolve the hard enamel that covers your teeth. That's how cavities get started. If you don't eat much sugar, the bacteria can't produce as much of the acid that eats away enamel.
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You should also think about when and how often you eat snacks. Do you nibble on sugary snacks many times throughout the day, or do you usually just have dessert after dinner? Damaging acids form in your mouth every time you eat a sugary snack. The acids continue to affect your teeth for at least 20 minutes before they are neutralized and can't do any more harm. So, the more times you eat sugary snacks during the day, the more often you feed bacteria the fuel they need to cause tooth decay.
If you eat sweets, it's best to eat them as dessert after a main meal instead of several times a day between meals. Whenever you eat sweets -- in any meal or snack -- brush your teeth well with a þuoride toothpaste afterward.
When you're deciding about snacks, think about:
Low-fat choices like raw vegetables, fresh fruits, or whole-grain crackers or bread are smart choices. Eating the right foods can help protect you from tooth decay and other diseases. Next time you reach for a snack, pick a food from the list inside or make up your own menu of non-sugary, low-fat snack foods from the basic food groups.
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Pick a variety of foods from these groups:
Fresh fruits and raw vegetables
berries
orangesgrapefruit
melons
pineapple
pears
tangerines
broccoli
celery
carrots
cucumbers
tomatoes
unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices
canned fruits in natural juices
Grains
bread
plain bagels
unsweetened cereals
unbuttered popcorn
tortilla chips (baked, not fried)
pretzels (low-salt)
pasta
plain crackers
Milk and dairy products
low or non-fat milk
low or non-fat yogurt
low or non-fat cheese
slow or non-fat cottage cheese
Meat, nuts and seeds
chicken
turkey
sliced meats
pumpkin seeds
sunflower seeds
nuts
Others
(these snacks combine foods from the different groups)
pizza
tacos
Remember to
choose sugary foods less often
avoid sweets between meals
eat a variety of low or non-fat foods from the basic groups
brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste after snacks and meals
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Candy bars aren't the only culprits. Foods such as pizza, breads, and hamburger buns may also contain sugars. Check the label. The new food labels identify sugars and fats on the Nutrition Facts panel on the package. Keep in mind that brown sugar, honey, molasses, and syrups also react with bacteria to produce acids, just as refined table sugar does. These foods also are potentially damaging to teeth.
Your child's meals and snacks should include a variety of foods from the basic food groups, including fruits and vegetables; grains, including breads and cereals; milk and dairy products; and meat, nuts, and seeds. Some snack foods have greater nutritional value than others and will better promote your child's growth and development. However, be aware that even some fresh fruits, if eaten in excess, may promote tooth decay. Children should brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste after snacks and meals. (So should you!)
Please note: These general recommendations may need to be adapted for children on special diets because of diseases or conditions that interfere with normal nutrition.
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For additional copies of this pamphelet contact:
National
Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse |
|
1
NOHIC Way Bethesda, MD 20892-3500 301-402-7364 nohic@nidcr.nih.gov www.nidcr.nih.gov |
This publication is no longer available in print. It is not copyrighted. Make as many photocopies as you need.
U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
NIH Publication No. 00-1680
Last printed February 2000