Finally – the weather is getting warmer and summer is on the horizon. Like most people, your summer weekends may already be starting to fill up with plans of festivals, parties, and family barbecues, and you’re probably getting excited to eat some foods that are summertime staples.

However, you need to be keeping your dental health in mind when you are noshing on one of these potentially harmful foods.

Kettle Corn 

Kettle corn is a delicious snack that many people enjoy at their Fourth of July festival or other summertime event. Kettle corn is loaded with sugar and can be kind of sticky on your teeth, potentially causing chips.
Make sure that you are brushing your teeth after eating any kettle corn to make sure that there are no pieces left between your teeth or wedged under the gum line.

Corn on the Cob 

Keeping up with the corn trend, corn on the cob is also a food you need to watch out for and to eat carefully during the summer months. This is especially true if you are wearing braces or have dentures, as biting into the cob can potentially break your appliance. Plus, the corn kernels could easily get stuck in your brackets and wires, making them difficult to remove.

Saltwater Taffy

If you take a trip to the beach this summer, you are bound to encounter stores along the coast that offer a variety of flavors of delicious salt water taffy. This sticky treat is bad news for teeth that are loose and for orthodontic patients.

Caramel Apples

Similar to corn on the cob, biting into a caramel apple when you have braces can be bad news for your orthodontic work and can cause damage. Plus, the sticky, sugary caramel can get stuck on your teeth, leading to decay and other problems.