Perhaps the best thing about Super Bowl Sunday (well, after the Big Game, the commercials, and the Puppy Bowl, in no particular order) is the food. Who, after all, doesn’t love an excuse to gather together with friends and family and eat?
Classic Super Bowl party foods aren’t exactly known for their healthfulness, and that’s okay. But at Attleboro Family Dental Care, we want you to be thinking about eating well for your teeth and for boosting oral health, at all times. And there is no reason to put your oral health at risk on Super Bowl Sunday. Here are a few snacks that are real winners — whether your team is or not.
If you are due for your next dental checkup, call our Attleboro, MA office at 508-222-2510, or get in touch with us online.
Crudite and Dip
Crudite is just a fancy French word for raw vegetables. Pair veggies with guacamole, hummus, or a yogurt-based dip, and you have a delicious nibble that’s good for your body and good for your oral health.
Crunchy raw vegetables like carrots and peppers massage your gums while you chew, and they stimulate the production of cleansing saliva. They contain lots of water, healthful fiber, and vitamins and minerals. The chickpeas in hummus are rich in folic acid, which is good for gum health. And yogurt has probiotics (good bacteria) and calcium, a mineral that your teeth need to stay strong.
Cheese Platter
Cheese is delicious, and it’s also great for your teeth. It is packed with calcium, a mineral that strengthens bones and tooth enamel. It also contains proteins called caseins, which have been shown to protect your teeth from decay-causing bacteria. Cheese seems to raise the pH of your mouth. The lower the pH, the more acidic environment, and acid is bad news for your teeth. So feel free to snack away on cheese. Try to avoid starchy crackers — but if you can’t, go for whole-grain varieties.
Nuts
Nuts are a popular party snack that has the benefit of being superfoods for your body and your teeth. They are packed with vitamins and minerals, and their crunchy texture stimulates saliva flow when you chew on them. Saliva is essential for keeping your mouth rinsed and clean. They are very low in sugars that lead to bacteria production and tooth decay.
Water
You may feel like it’s not a Super Bowl party without cracking open a cold one, but be sure to drink plenty of water too. Water helps keep your mouth clean throughout the day — especially if you indulge in the less-tooth-friendly Superbowl snacks. It’s best to drink tap water, which in many municipalities is fortified with enamel-boosting fluoride.
Stay Away from These Super Bowl Snacks
Anything starchy like chips, crackers, and pretzels will cause the bacteria in your mouth to proliferate and attack your teeth with their decay-causing acids. Chicken wings aren’t bad per se, but the acids in certain sauces are harmful to your tooth enamel. And sodas are packed with sugar and acids — a recipe for tooth decay.
We want you to have a fun, safe, and tooth-friendly Super Bowl Sunday. And make sure your next preventive dental visit is in the books. If you live in the Attleboro area, call Attleboro Family Dental Care at 508-222-2510 or request an appointment through our online form.
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