Are Strawberries Good for Your Teeth?

If you and your family are looking for a fun weekend activity, the 2016 Pasadena Strawberry Festival is this weekend, from May 20 to May 22. The festival in Pasadena, Texas offers a weekend full of live music, competitions, parades, and of course, strawberries.

 

Here is more information about the festival, along with advice on how to protect your teeth during the weekend.

 

Pasadena Strawberry Festival

The festival begins on Friday afternoon at 5 PM, where the world’s largest strawberry shortcake will be unveiled.

 

Live music is a big part of the festival. Along with a music competition on Saturday and Sunday, the TEDCU Stage holds musical performances throughout the day. The Arena Stage also offers performances Friday and Saturday night by:

• Cameran Nelson
• Aaron Watson
• Hudson Moore
• Eric Paslay

 

The Kid Zone provides your children with plenty of fun activities. For $25, you can go on a helicopter ride. If you’d rather stay on the ground, there are all kinds of shows during the Festival: jugglers, a pig race, and a Wild West show, just to name a few.

 

There will be Mud Pit competitions to watch on both Saturday and Sunday. There are other competitions as well, including a BBQ cook-off and a baby parade.

 

One of the best parts of the festival is the Strawberry Festival Parade. Starting at 10 AM on Saturday, bring your entire family to view the creative floats.

 

Strawberries and Your Dental Health

While it’s essential to enjoy strawberries during the festival, don’t forget about your dental health. Are strawberries good for your teeth? The answer is both yes and no.

 

 

Strawberries contain Vitamin C, which helps you fight periodontal (gum) disease and also helps reduce inflammation, a result of gum disease. They’re also rich in antioxidants, which help protect your gums by fighting the bacteria that cause inflammation and lead to gum disease.

 

Unfortunately, strawberries are also rich in acid.

 

Acid breaks down your enamel through the process of tooth decay and if it’s left untreated, other problems can develop:

• Cavities
• Need for Root Canal
• Tooth Extraction
• Gum Disease

 

Strawberries contain malic acid, which can soften and dissolve stains on your teeth. Because of this, many people use a strawberry-baking soda mix to “naturally” whiten their teeth. However, malic acid is still an acid, which breaks down tooth enamel.

 

If you frequently use strawberries to whiten your teeth, it can actually have the opposite effect, exposing more of the yellow-hued dentin beneath your enamel.

 

Ways to Protect Your Teeth

If you’re involved in any of the competitions, wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth from being knocked out.

 

Ways you can help minimize the damage to your enamel due to the acid in strawberries include:

• Pair the fruit with foods low in acid and sugar (like nuts, spinach, and cheese)
• Drink lots of water (this will help rinse away some of the food particles and acid on your teeth)
• Wait for at least 30 minutes before your teeth after eating strawberries (brushing directly after can further damage the weakened enamel)

 

 

Keep these things in mind so you can enjoy the festival without compromising your dental health.

 

For more information or to schedule a dental appointment, contact Greenspoint Dental in Houston, Texas. We are dedicated to providing you and your loved ones with the best dental care.

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