When summer rolls around each year, we can finally stow away the slow cooker, along with its soups, stews, and chilis, and make room in the freezer for a few pints of ice cream. In fact, there are plenty of common foods found in summer diets across the country that are pretty unique to the warmer months. Today, we’ll give a dentist’s point-of-view on the dangers teeth face from ice cream, the most common summer treat, and we’ll provide some refreshing alternatives – and no, it isn’t all bad.
How Some Summer Treats Harm Teeth
There’s really just no dancing around the issue: Some summer-specific treats and foods are just outright bad for your teeth, and, of course, your children’s teeth as well. If you’re looking to add some balance into the summer treat-eating that takes place in your household, consider the following:
Ice Cream
Unfortunately, ice cream is one of the worst treats you can possibly consume. Yes, we too give off a groan just thinking about it (contrary to popular belief, dentists like ice cream too). In case you’re wondering, ice cream is more or less an all-around unhealthy option for your teeth because of the following qualities:
- Too cold. The chilled temperature of this summertime staple is the first and foremost danger to your teeth. While you may associate ice cream with a brain freeze more than tooth damage, the chilling temperatures temporarily weaken a tooth’s enamel, leaving it more susceptible to bacterial decay.
- Full of sugar. Another reason that dentists disapprove of ice cream is the sugar content. Unfrozen, ice cream is basically just incredibly sweetened cream, and those sugars are a leading cause of cavities and other forms of dental decay. Couple this sugar content with the weakened tooth enamel caused by the cold temperature, and the damages become exponentially greater.
- Dairy dry-out. While the calcium and other nutrients found in milk and other dairy products is overall considered to be a benefit to the long-term health of teeth, there is a short-term harm that comes from dairy products: A dryer mouth. This may not seem like a big deal at first, but when one considers that saliva is our primary protector against tooth decay and gum disease, a dryer mouth accompanied by sugary, cold ice cream is far less than optimal.
- Other factors, too. Apart from the ice cream itself, what really makes this substance so harmful is how and when we most likely choose to eat it: Typically right after a meal and accompanied with some form of flavoring, cone, candies, and other crunchy bits found in the mixture. All of these together make your teeth more likely to take damages from the actual meal you most likely ate.
All in all, ice cream should be seen as a “sometimes” food, and followed up by brushing. While it is certainly harmful, we understand that it is tasty and refreshing on a summer day. When it comes to other frozen treats, like popsicles and ice cream bars, we recommend that you don’t chomp into them, as the cold-induced damages to your tooth enamel can be drastic.
How to Sometimes Sub-Out Ice Cream
With the laundry list of dental dangers found in the sugary-frozen nature of ice cream, you’re likely wondering just what you should be feeding the family on those especially hot days. Worry not, our team has some helpful options that taste (almost) as good, yet are a little better for your gumline – and maybe even your waistline.
Cold-Pressed Juice
If you haven’t tried the wonders of cold-pressed juice yet, you really should! While the prices found on the menu board can give you sticker shock (easily 8 to 12 bucks a glass!), just know that a little goes a long way. Cold-pressed juice is basically entire fruits and vegetables “juiced” whole, minus any pulpy or hardened bits; you’re getting the nutrients from the seeds, rind, and other parts of the plant you’re not usually able to eat. These juices are extremely healthy, often promoting metabolic health and giving you a natural energy boost. Try sharing a juice or two among the family, and be sure to try multiple flavor combinations.
Fresh-Fruit Smoothies
One step in the ice cream direction from cold-pressed juice would be fresh-fruit smoothies. We’re not talking about the ones you get at a fast food drive-thru here – those are often fruit juice, ice, and tons of sugar! – but smoothies made from real slices of fruits and vegetables that are blended whole into a tasty, healthy treat. A real-fruit smoothie is a great way to get some the nutritional benefit of fruits and vegetables in a dessert-like form. Plus, they’re cold and refreshing – just like ice cream!
Actual Fruits and Veggies
If you’re sensing a trend here, it’s simple: Fruits and vegetables are the best summertime snacks for your family’s teeth! Slurping them up in a smoothie or drinking them in h do for a night out with the family, a slice of watermelon or a farmer’s market apple is a much-preferred alternative to ice cream or a popsicle on an afternoon at home. These little changes can have a noticeably positive impact on your family’s overall health – especially in their mouths! So stock up on your family’s favorite fruit and veggie snacks, and always encourage those as a great option on a hot day.
Schedule Today
Whether you’re looking to get your college student that will be traveling back for another term away in a few short weeks in for an appointment or looking to schedule time for the entire family to catch up on their semi-annual visits, summer is the perfect time to contact our Missoula dentist for an appointment! At Bitterroot Dental, the entire staff is committed to helping patients of all ages and oral health levels with high-quality, affordable dental care. We proudly offer the latest and greatest techniques and technologies to make your experience as enriching and enjoyable as possible.
