We All Love Movies, but Can Popcorn Damage Your Teeth?

Popcorn is an incredibly popular snack, and it’s not hard to understand why. It is quite affordable and has that crunchy, poofy texture that goes perfectly with butter and salt, making it a great way to enhance your movie-viewing pleasure. The Popcorn Board estimates that Americans eat about 15 billion quarts of it annually, making it one of the most consumed snacks around.

Despite all the nice things about eating popcorn, it can carry real risks to your teeth if you’re not careful. However, any eater of popcorn can attest to how it can get stuck between your teeth and in your gums and how biting down on an unpopped kernel can be a jarring and painful experience. Read on to learn about the dangers of eating popcorn along with some mouth-healthy alternatives.