When
it’s
time
for
your
routine

dental
cleaning,
you’re
probably
surrounded
by
pictures
of
“smiling
teeth”
next
to
fruits,
vegetables
and
toothbrushes.
You
might
curse
yourself
for
not
flossing
more
consistently,
or
you
might
feel
self-conscious
as
the
dental
assistant
picks
at
your
gums.
You
might
nervously
hope
to
avoid
hearing
“you
have
a
cavity.”

Going
to
the
dentist
isn’t
always
fun,
but
being
proactive
about
your
dental
health
can
help.
When
it
comes
to
having
strong,
healthy
teeth,
there’s
something
that’s
both
under-discussed
and
important
to
know:
Some
surprising
foods
can
be
damaging.

Besides
well-loved

cheese
snack
crackers,
we’re
also
talking
about
a
certain
food
that
can
do
wonders
for
your

gut
health.
Ahead,
dentists
reveal
what
it
is
(and
how
it
messes
with
your
teeth),
the
safer
version,
and
how
to
protect
your
teeth
after
eating
it.

This
health
food
can
damage
your
teeth.

The
food
in
question,
believe
it
or
not,
is

yogurt.

“Although
generally
[a]
‘healthy’
snack,
there
are
certain
aspects
of
yogurt
that
can
negatively
affect
teeth,”
said

Dr.
Liel
Grinbaum,
a
pediatric
dentist
and
owner
of
Smiles
+
Grins
in
New
York.

That
comes
down
to
one
main
reason:
The
sugar
in
it
combines
with
bacteria
in
your
mouth,
producing
acid,
which
is
harsh
on
your
chompers.

“When
the
environment
around
a
tooth
becomes
sufficiently
acidic,
minerals
can
begin
leaving
the
enamel
surface,”
explained

Dr.
Jonathan
Richter,
a
dual-trained
holistic
periodontist,
prosthodontist
and
expert
in
implant
dentistry.
“Repeated
acidic
exposures
can
therefore
contribute
to
enamel
demineralization
and,
over
time,
erosion.”

Additionally,
the
toppings
you
might
include
—
while
nutritious
—
can
cause
further
problems.

“Sometimes,
yogurts
with
toppings
like
granola,
peanut
butter,
crunchy
things
or
jam
can
stick
to
your
teeth
and
prolong
acid
exposure,”
added

Dr.
Lilya
Horowitz,
a
general
dentist
and
owner
of
Domino
Dental
in
Brooklyn,
New
York.

What
type
of
yogurt
is
best
for
teeth?

Don’t
get
us
wrong:
Yogurt
isn’t
all
bad,
even
for
your
teeth.
For
example,
a

2022
study
found
that
yogurt
intake
is
associated
with
a
lower
risk
of
tooth
loss
from
periodontal
disease.

Plus,
the
kind
you
choose
matters.
Dentists
recommend
plain
or
unsweetened

Greek
yogurt.

“If
more
sweetness
is
desired,
consider
adding
whole
fruit
yourself,”
Richter
added.
He
cautioned
against
flavored
yogurts,
fruit-on-the-bottom
yogurts,
squeezable
yogurts
and
drinkable
yogurts.

For
a
more
savory
way
to
enjoy
it,
Horowitz
suggested
mixing
Greek
yogurt
into
a
salad
dressing
or
using
it
as
a
substitute
for
sour
cream
in
soup.

Grinbaum
agreed
that
not
all
yogurt
is
completely
bad
for
your
teeth,
encouraging
the
milk-based
kind.

“Milk
(dairy)
yogurt
has
natural
calcium,
phosphate
and
casein
proteins,
which
are
beneficial
to
the
protection
of
enamel,”
he
said.
“Nut-based
yogurts
can
be
fortified
but
do
not
contain
the
same
natural
proteins,
and
they
usually
contain
some
type
of
added
sugars
for
flavoring.”

Here’s
how
to
protect
your
teeth
after
eating
yogurt.

Still
want
to
eat
yogurt
(maybe
even
the
sugary
kinds)?
We
can’t
blame
you.
Dentists
shared
steps
you
can
take
to
reduce
the
dental
risk:

• Swallow
  the
  yogurt
  immediately
  rather
  than
  swishing
  or
  holding
  it
  in
  your
  mouth.
• Rinse
  your
  mouth
  after
  eating
  it.
• Chew
  sugar-free
  gum
  (xylitol
  gum)
  for
  about
  20
  minutes
  after
  eating
  it
  to
  stimulate
  saliva,
  which
  can
  clear
  food,
  buffer
  acids
  and
  return
  calcium
  and
  phosphate
  to
  the
  tooth
  surface.
• Wait
  about
  30
  minutes
  to
  brush
  your
  teeth
  afterward.
• Get
  regular
  dental
  checkups.
• Use
  
  fluoride
  toothpaste
  if
  you’re
  at
  high
  risk
  for
  cavities.
• Limit
  frequent
  exposure
  by
  eating
  a
  serving
  with
  a
  meal
  rather
  than
  repeatedly
  snacking
  or
  sipping
  on
  it
  over
  several
  hours.

To
keep
this
message
short
and
sweet,
Richter
concluded
that
yogurt’s
dental
effect
depends
on
four
things:
the
type
of
yogurt,
amount
of
sugar,
frequency
of
exposure
and
way
it’s
consumed.

“The
key
is
not
to
avoid
yogurt
altogether,
but
to
understand
which
types
are
more
tooth-friendly
and
how
eating
habits
affect
enamel
and
cavity
risk,”
he
clarified.
“Yogurt
isn’t
the
enemy,
but
not
all
yogurt
is
equally
friendly
to
your
teeth.”