Healthy Lunch Ideas When You Can't Brush Your Teeth

Foods in the dairy group contain calcium, one of the most vital nutrients for keeping your teeth healthy and strong. Add a slice of cheese to your sandwich, drink a glass of milk, or top a cup of yoghurt with fruit and dry cereal to increase your calcium intake without much effort. Cheese has the added benefit of enzymes that help neutralise the germs that harm your teeth after a meal. Nibble a piece of low-fat cheddar after your midday meal when you can't or don't have time to brush away any debris left over from your lunch.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins and minerals, and a diet rich in them helps stave off tooth cavities. Berries, melon, pears and apples are great choices. Try raw celery, carrots, broccoli and cucumbers, either plain or combined in a salad with your noon time meal. Unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices offer similar benefits and make a good portable choice if you don't have much time to eat lunch.

Whole grains contain more nutrition than their processed counterparts and are less likely to promote tooth cavities than choices containing added sugar. Make your favourite sandwich on whole wheat bread, mix some whole wheat pasta with vegetables and low-fat cheese, or have a bowl of unsweetened oatmeal topped with dried fruit and nuts. These choices will fill your belly, but won't cause problems with your teeth if you don't get a chance to brush.

Proteins round out your lunchtime meal and most are low in sugar, making them a good choice when you can't brush your teeth after eating. Add some sliced chicken breast to your salad, have a tuna sandwich, or throw a few grilled shrimp into a bowl of vegetable soup. You'll be full and healthy even if you don't have a toothbrush handy.

Like most people, you may experience a sugar craving around lunchtime. If you can't or don't brush your teeth after lunch, sugary foods shouldn't have a place on your lunch list. They bathe your teeth in harmful germs that contribute to tooth cavities. Avoid soda with your meal and stay away from candy and baked desserts. Save these treats for after dinner when you can brush your teeth soon afterward. Not only will your body thank you, but your teeth will too.