It’s 9 pm, you’re midway through your favorite show and you want a snack. Wander into the kitchen and what do you choose? Ice cream is tempting, but in the end you choose your favorite: chocolate chip cookies.

What you may not realize is that you’ve just put your teeth under siege. For the next twenty minutes, in fact, the sugar in that nighttime snack will combine with plaque in your mouth to weaken your enamel and allow tooth decay to begin. And if you don’t brush and floss as thoroughly as you should before you go to bed that night, it’s even easier for decay to set in.

We all know that our diet affects our health. That’s old news. But what many adults don’t realize is that the foods you eat–or don’t eat–play a big role in your oral health, as well. The vitamins and minerals in certain foods can go a long way in strengthening your teeth to prevent against decay, so make sure you’re giving your teeth everything they need to stay healthy by incorporating these four things into your diet today.
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