HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES  ADVICE HOME

Our general and dental health are affected by the foods that we eat, and with so many fast food options out there, it is often confusing to us consumers trying to make the proper choices for ourselves and our families.

We all know that sugars are one of the main culprits causing dental disease, but there are many types of sugars available that we are not always aware of, such as the natural sugars found in milk and unsweetened fruit juices. Starchy foods such as bread, crackers, and pasta may be healthy, but those starches break down in our mouths to simple sugars which have the same effect on the teeth as white refined sugar! Dried fruit has a very high sugar content and causes tooth decay just as candy does.

Most of us enjoy sweets and it is unrealistic to remove them from our diets completely, but here are some of the ways to cut down on our sugar consumption:

• Choose sugar-free snacks
• Add less sugar to coffee or tea, or use sugar substitutes
• Avoid soft drinks if possible
• Look for fruit juices with no added sugar

• Eat sweets with a meal whenever possible. You will produce more saliva in your mouth which acts as a natural cleanser and helps to wash away the sugars
• If you are not able to brush your teeth after eating sweets, rinse your mouth with water, eat a hard fruit or vegetable such as an apple or celery, or chew a piece of sugarless gum

• plain yogurt
• plain milk or buttermilk
• cheese and cottage cheese
• fresh fruits & vegetables
• hard-boiled eggs
• plain almonds, cashews, peanuts
• plain popcorn(watch for those unpopped kernels!)