Energy bars are great for a healthy snack to help you through a busy day. However, while all the nutritious ingredients in these convenient, easy-to-carry bars are better than bingeing on sweets, there can be a hidden danger.

The hard consistency of some bars can cause dental problems. In fact, biting into some bars requires so much pressure that it can chip or crack a tooth or dental bridge. You can see by my picture, that’s what happened to me. When I went to the dentist, the dental assistant in the office told me that dental damage caused by energy bars is a fairly common occurrence at their practice.

So, before you bite into an energy bar, determine how hard it is with your hand. If the bar feels too hard to the touch, you may want to choose one with a softer consistency to safeguard your dental work.

For more tips on health and wellness, visit the e-books the Wellness Library.