It’s not rocket science to take care of your mouth. What about your diet? We know that flossing and brushing your teeth twice a week are essential for healthy teeth. What impact does your diet and beverages have on the way you smile?
Continue reading to learn about the foods that you should eat to maintain a healthy smile.
Healthy eating means choosing healthy foods and avoiding junk food as much as possible. Healthy eating is not only good for the body but also for your gums and teeth. Your diet directly affects tooth decay, gum diseases, and how quickly you wear your teeth down. Crazy right?
This Burlington dentist has teamed up to give us an inside look at the best ways you can maintain good oral health.
What happens to my teeth when I eat?
You should eat lots of whole grains and vegetables. Avoid sugar, especially processed sugar. The more you have to chew your food to break it up, the better for your teeth. Firm, fibrous and coarse foods help to remove bacteria and plaque while you chew, causing you to produce more saliva to rinse your mouth. The watery foods also help to clean your mouth as you eat.
Choose the best food for your teeth
This list of bullet points will do the job without being too long or rambling. We’ll explain more about this later.
- Carrots and celery (the darker the greens, the better).
- Nuts: (almonds and other nuts, such as hazelnuts or walnuts)
- Yogurt with cheese
- Apples and pears
- Lean meats are the best (chicken or turkey is ideal).
- Green and black teas
Why dairy products are good for your teeth
The saliva produced by dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, and milk helps to protect your teeth. These products are high in calcium and protein, which helps keep teeth strong. Yogurt, in particular, contains probiotics and beneficial bacteria for a healthy digestive system and gut.
It’s important to choose low-sugar yogurts, as sugary varieties can be harmful to your teeth and will undo all the good things that you are trying to give your body.
Apples, carrots, celery and pears are great for your teeth
These fresh fruits and vegetables are great as snacks or as sweet dessert alternatives. They provide hydration, dietary fibre and stimulate saliva production. These crunchy fruits and vegetables help remove food particles and bacteria on your teeth surface.
Nuts, lean proteins
Lean proteins, such as meat, poultry, and fish (even tofu is amazing), are high in phosphorus. They protect your teeth. Almonds, for example, are rich in calcium and protein. They are also low on sugar. The texture of almonds makes them chewy, which promotes saliva and helps to clean teeth.
The best drinks to drink for your teeth are tea and water
You can benefit from any beverage that doesn’t contain sugar or carbonation, as it keeps your mouth hydrated and flushes out bacteria. Green and black teas are rich in tannins that fight plaque and are good for your health.
Snacks with no sugar are healthier
It’s better to limit the amount of food eaten between meals.
Frequent eating exposes your teeth to more bacteria and sugar and reduces the ability of saliva to neutralize acids that can wear away your tooth enamel. Hold the sugar if you are going to snack. This is what bacteria love and will continue to damage your teeth even after you have finished eating.
Healthy eating habits for teeth
Here are some basic tips – after eating, brush and rinse but wait 15 minutes. You should floss at least one time a day, ideally before going to bed, and visit your dentist for regular dental checks. When you can, avoid sugar and acidic foods. Or at least, rinse your mouth well afterward. Drink lots of water. This is a great mouthwash and it keeps you hydrated. Your mouth will stay moist and bacteria won’t be able to take root.
What you eat can have a huge impact on the health of your teeth.
A good oral hygiene regimen and a healthy diet are the key to a lifetime of great oral health.
