Between Meals: How to Avoid an Acid Attack

To stop the damage that acidic foods are doing to your teeth, you need to make small adjustments in the way you eat and drink some foods. You can do this in 3 ways.

• Choose alternative snacks and drinks to reduce how often you have acidic drinks and foods
• When you do have acidic foods, have them with other foods, at mealtimes rather than snacks
• Make sure that acidic foods and drinks are in contact with your teeth for the shortest time possible (e.g. eat things at one sitting, use a straw for drinks, not sipping or holding drinks in your mouth)

These are some SAFE snacks:

1. Vegetables
2. Tortilla chips
3. Cheeses, mild-based products
4. Nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hummus
5. Plain popcorn (not sweetened or buttered)

These are some SAFE drinks:

1. Water
2. Milk
3. Tea/Coffee without sugar
4. Herbal teas without fruits/citrus flavor

These are Foods to AVOID between meals:

1. Fruits, particularly citrus fruits
2. Tomatoes
3. Vinegar particularly apple cider vinegar, pickles, ketchup
4. Lemon juice-based salad dressing

These are Drinks to AVOID between meals:

1. Carbonated drinks except unflavored sparkling water
2. Carbonated diet drinks, sports and energy drinks
3. All juices, particularly citrus fruit juices
4. Smoothies
5. Vitamin C drinks
6. Beer and wine
7. Fruit teas, herbal teas with fruit/citrus

For more information, book your appointment with our Calgary Dentists at Expressions Dental.