Tooth-Friendly Snacks and Smart Swaps for Kids and Adults
The best snacks for your teeth are low in added sugar and refined starch: nuts, cheese, plain yogurt, whole fruit, and vegetables with hummus. Just as important is how often you snack. Grazing all day keeps your teeth under constant acid attack, so fewer, planned snacks are better than constant nibbling.
Quick answers
What snacks are good for your teeth?
Nuts, cheese, plain yogurt, whole fruit, and vegetables with hummus. They deliver nutrients and fiber with little or no added sugar.
Is cheese good for your teeth?
Cheese is a smart snack. It is a calcium-rich food with no added sugar, which makes it a better choice than crackers, chips, or candy.
Which snacks are hardest on teeth?
Candy, cookies, gummy fruit snacks, crackers, and chips, especially when eaten throughout the day. Sticky and starchy snacks feed plaque bacteria for longer.
Smart swaps
| Instead of this often | Choose this more often |
|---|---|
| Candy, cookies, gummy fruit snacks | Nuts, cheese, plain yogurt, or whole fruit |
| Crackers, chips, or grazing on bread | Vegetables with hummus; nuts or cheese |
| Sweetened cereal or flavored yogurt | Oats or plain yogurt with whole fruit |
| Soda, juice, sports or energy drinks | Still water; unsweetened milk with meals |
Snack timing matters
Each sugary or starchy snack starts a new acid attack on your teeth. If you are going to have something sweet, have it with a meal and finish it, instead of making it a snack you return to all afternoon. Drink water between meals.
How to read a label for added sugar
- Check the serving size first. All the numbers on the label are per serving.
- Find the Added Sugars line. As a quick guide, 5% Daily Value or less is low and 20% or more is high.
- Compare similar foods. Pick the one with less added sugar and more fiber.
- Read the label, not the front of the box. Words like “natural” or “made with real fruit” do not tell you the sugar content.
Snacks for kids
Kids do best with planned snacks instead of all-day grazing. Offer water between meals and keep juice, flavored milk, and sweet drinks with meals only. Fruit snacks and gummies stick to teeth, so whole fruit is the better choice.
For the full guide, read foods that are good for your teeth.
Talk it through at your next visit
Families can often book visits back to back through family dentistry. At Advanced Dental Care in Provo, cleanings and exams include time with a hygienist who can look at your own risk and help you adjust your habits. Request an appointment or call (801) 758-2443.
Related guides
- Foods That Are Good for Your Teeth
- What Causes Cavities, and How to Prevent Them
- Tooth Enamel Erosion: Causes and Protection
- When Should You Brush After Eating?
- Best and Worst Drinks for Your Teeth
- Vitamins and Minerals for Teeth and Gums
Sources and further reading
- American Dental Association: Nutrition and Oral Health
- MouthHealthy (ADA): Diet and Dental Health
- U.S. FDA: How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Adapted from the Advanced Dental Care Nutrition and Oral Health patient guide. Aligned with ADA guidance; not an ADA publication.
This guide is general education from Advanced Dental Care in Provo, Utah. It is not a substitute for advice from your own dentist or physician.