Nutrition Bars Not So Healthy For Teeth
In my local supermarkets, nutrition/energy bars are big business… Fred Meyer, Safeway and Albertson’s all devote a decent amount of shelf space to them. At Freddy’s – where I shop most often – they’re in the “Health Food” section… after all, they’re so healthy! Right?
Kinda sorta.
Sure, there are all manner of bars with good-for-you ingredients like nuts, seeds, peanut butter, whole grains, dried fruit, and alternative sweeteners like honey and agave nectar. They’re great for on-the-go snacking… I often buy a few to pack around in my purse when I have to travel, as alternatives to the snack/junk food offered on the plane. And, of course, bodybuilders and other athletes who need the calories (and protein) use them when they have to eat on the run.
But what fuels your body can also fuel the growth of cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth… as noted in this MSNBC.com article…
“It’s the consistency of these bars,” says Dr. Richard Price, consumer advisor for the American Dental Association and a retired Boston-area dentist. “They’re sticky and when something is sticky it stays in the mouth longer and the longer it stays in the mouth, the more time bacteria have to work on it. That creates an environment that’s not healthy for teeth.”
…If we all dutifully brushed and flossed after consuming our beloved carbohydrate-laden bars, this wouldn’t a problem. But many of us wolf the bars down in our car or during a lunch-time power walk or eat them at our desk so we can keep working.
And that’s where we can run into tooth trouble, especially if we decide to couple an energy-boosting bar with a soda or sports drink.
“Bacteria use the stuff in the energy bar to make acid which softens the enamel,” says Dr. Jane Soxman, a spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry. “If you add to it the phosphoric acid in soft drinks or the citric acid in energy drinks or sports drinks, then it’s a perfect storm for tooth decay. Once isn’t bad, but it’s the repeated exposure, the chronic use.
Drinking water and chewing gum can help… as well as brushing and flossing ASAP. It’s a good reminder – just because something contains “healthy” ingredients, doesn’t mean it’s 100% good for you.
