Snack Attack - Why snacking is more sinister that you’d think

We’re all partial to a cheeky packet of chips or chocolate bar every now and then. And that’s fine. But continuously snacking throughout the day is a recipe for disaster when it comes to your teeth... Read on to find out why. 

Let’s think for a second about things people like to snack on: chips, chocolate bars, muesli bars, fruit, crackers, cheese, lollies, and toast. And now let’s think about things that increase the acidity in your mouth: chips, chocolate bars, muesli bars, fruit, crackers, cheese, lollies, toast. Interesting…

We’re not asking you to give these things up. We’re not even asking you to brush your teeth after every meal (though you can if you want!) The point we’re making is that the more you eat these things at short intervals throughout the day, the less of a chance you are giving your mouth to restore its correct pH level. This opens you up to increased acidity, and eventually decay. 

So What Can You Do About It?

Snacking is usually a result of not getting the nutrition we need from our main meals. Each person’s diet is highly specific to them - so we are not pretending to know exactly what you need to eat to solve this problem. A general recommendation to avoid getting hungry between meals is to have one half of your meals consisting of fruit and vegetables, one quarter as carbohydrates, and one quarter as protein. This means you are consuming foods with both fast-burning and slow-burning energy, making you less likely to need snacks between meals.

The other thing that can help is drinking plenty of water. Staying hydrated not only helps regulate the acidity in your mouth, but it also can help ward off that peckish feeling we all get from time to time.  To learn more about the benefits of water on your dental health, read our blog about it here. 

Finally, we suggest asking friends or family to hold you accountable. Changing habits is extremely difficult to do alone, so why not ask a co-worker or family member to help you hold out for mealtimes. Having someone support you in your goal to reduce daytime snacking will vastly increase your chances of success. 

In Conclusion

Snacking can cause big problems for your mouth, but you can reduce your snacking by eating well, drinking water, and asking for help. If you’ve had a snack and are worrying about how your teeth feel about it - give them a clean! Or at the least, rinse your mouth out with water. Daily habits make a big difference to your oral and overall health. 

Good luck!

The Team at Noble Dental