On 2013-06-24, Dave Smith > wrote:

> I am the other way around. I don't mind raspberry seeds because they are
> small and innocuous. Blackberry seeds, OTOH, are sometimes huge and
> troublesome.

Perhaps it's as simple as that. I will confess, I got my very first
tooth crown thanks to a blackberry seed. I was munching a Hostess
Berry Pie (when they were still huge) and suddenly, a big chunk of
back tooth molar was rattling around in my mouth. I spit it out and
knew immediately what it was.

When I finally went to the dentist, I ask why a such a young strong
tooth (I was only 22) would give way like that, do I have rotten
teeth. He said no, but sometime things like this jes happen. When
someone chews ice, nuts, "blackberries", etc, the mouth exerts so much
pressure that in a freak situation all that overall pressure may be
inadvertantly concentrated on a single small point --like a blackberry
seed-- and magnified ten fold, thus easily shearing off a section of
healthy tooth like it was nothing. I had not told him I was eating a
blackberry pie when my tooth gave way. Live and learn.

I've since learned how to chew blackberries, as I love all
black/marion/ollalie berries. I've never suffered another tooth
incident and I still love the seeds. Which, btw, are quite rich in
omega-3 oils. Safeway Select house brand and a few obscure boutique
offerings are the only blackberry jams/preserves I'm aware of that
still includes the seeds.

nb