Diet:

It's Not Just The Food You Eat, It's Also How You Eat It!

Bananas and oranges, both healthy foods, have potential to cause tooth decay if you are "grazing" on them all day long.  Bananas, like other starchy foods, are retained longer in your mouth than oranges.  Because bananas are retained longer in the mouth they are more likely to promote the decay process.  For a more indepth discussion of this topic, click on the video below.

KSL TV Studio 5 Interview:  "What you eat matters"

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The following are dietary guidelines for optimum oral health:

• It is recommended that children eat six small meals at specific times during the day. Sitting down and completing the meal or snack in one sitting is healthier than "grazing" in between meals.  
• Continual snacking or eating periodically all day long, is considered "grazing". Each time we eat or drink we load our saliva with things that allow the bacteria to make acid and the teeth begin to dissolve. It takes several minutes for the acid to get cleared from the mouth by our saliva. Children who "graze" on food can have teeth dissolving in an acid environment all day long, thus promoting increased decay.
• Fruit snacks and starchy foods (i.e., chips, pretzels, crackers) should be avoided on a frequent basis because they get in between and into the pits and fissures of the teeth. They are retained longer in the mouth allowing the bacteria to make acids for long periods of time.
• Water should be the drink of choice when a child is thirsty and before bed time.  Other types of drinks, juices, and even milk should be reserved for mealtimes. After eating, water and/or brushing should be used to clear the mouth.