Q: Are some foods better than others when it comes to dental health?

A: The answer is "yes". Your mouth is full of bacteria that live there normally. The bacteria love sugar and starch. When teeth are not fully clean, the bacteria eat the sugar and starch and produce acids that can eat through enamel. It would be difficult to entirely avoid food with sugar. Fruit, milk, bread, cereals and vegetables all contain sugars. Do avoid sugary snacks. The American Dental Association estimates each snack results in an acid attack on your teeth of 20 minutes or more. When you snack, choose fruits, nuts, seeds, raw vegetables, plain yogurt, popcorn, dill pickles and olives.

Avoid foods like cakes, chips, cookies and crackers when you're eating them by themselves. Remember that sugar and starches eaten as part of a meal are less damaging to teeth because the mouth produces more saliva during a meal. Saliva helps neutralize acid and wash away food particles. Eat a balanced diet, including the FDA recommended portions of bread and grain, fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry and fish, and dairy, like milk, cheese and yogurt. And ask your dentist about good eating habits.

Presented as a service to the community by Peter A. Tzendzalian, DDS