Dental Health: What to Eat and What to Avoid

Dental Health: What to Eat and What to Avoid

Jun 01, 2020

Oral health care doesn’t only involve flossing and brushing. There are a lot of habits you need to adopt and others that you should stop to have healthy oral hygiene. This article focuses on nutrition for healthy teeth- the foods you should eat and those that you shouldn’t.

Foods to Eat

First, let us look at those foods that shouldn’t miss in your diet:

Cheese

I bet you never knew that cheese is capable of combating erosion of your teeth by acid. Now that you are in the know, this is good food for your teeth. You want to know why? Each time you consume bread, soda, citrus, or sweets, tooth decay may occur, resulting in acid formation. That is why cheese is a good dessert, thanks to its ability to counteract the acids left on the teeth after eating.

Fish

We are all aware of the role of calcium in maintaining strong teeth. Your body needs vitamin D in adequate quantities to absorb that calcium. Fatty fish are vitamin D sources. They allow you to utilize the calcium in the foods you consume.

Oranges

Many may argue about the health benefits of oranges to the teeth since they are citrus fruits. What we all need to understand, however, is that vitamin C contained in them strengthens the connective tissue and blood vessels. It also reduces inflammation, thus slowing down the spread of gum disease.

Water

Saliva constitutes 99.5 percent of water. Optimum levels of water in the saliva are required for food breakdown, prevention of tooth decay, and neutralization of bacterial acid. Water may not be a good enough substitute for floss and a toothbrush, but in rinsing off food debris, it helps reduce plaque. You can also use water to rinse your mouth after having staining foods. Water reduces teeth stains.

High-Fiber Vegetables and Fruits

Apart from their fiber feel that scrubs your teeth in the same way a toothbrush does, vegetables and fruits also stimulate the production of saliva because they require extra chewing. If you haven’t been consuming these foods, start with salad greens. The water content in them helps in offsetting the sugar content. Treat your teeth to some apples, carrots, and cucumbers today.

Black and Green Tea

Here is a quick tip to keep your teeth healthy; have some tea to accompany your meal. Polyphenols contained in these teas interact with plaque-causing bacteria by suppressing or killing them. Once the bacteria feast on sugars left in your mouth, they excrete acids that destroy the tooth enamel. This is the reason you should incorporate tea into your meals.

Chocolate

Yes, chocolate and no, this isn’t some joke. Chocolate is good for your teeth as long as it is 70% cacao at the least, and you eat it moderately. Dark chocolate contains a compound known as CBH, which hardens the tooth enamel and makes the teeth less vulnerable to decay.

Foods to Avoid

If your goal is to have healthy teeth, then you should avoid eating these foods at all costs:

Sour Candies

Candies are bad enough, but sour candies? These are twice as bad. They have a variety of acids that are even tougher on the teeth. They are chewy and stick to teeth for long; therefore, they are more likely to bring about decay.

Bread

This is sad news for bread lovers. That bread that you love so much may cause you more harm than good. Once the bread is in the mouth, it is broken down by saliva into sugar. The sugars then get stuck inside teeth crevices causing cavities. If your carbs cravings can’t be controlled, opt for varieties that are less refined.

Alcohol

As hard as it may be to accept this fact, alcohol is harmful to your general health. To understand this, you also need to know the role of saliva in the digestion process. Drinking alcohol results in a dry mouth devoid of saliva. Saliva is responsible for preventing the sticking of food on the teeth and washing off food particles.

Carbonated Drinks

Soda is a good example. According to research, carbonated sodas increase the acid-producing ability of plaque. The acid begins damaging the tooth enamel. So drinking soda is just like using acid to coat your teeth.

This article doesn’t highlight all the habits to be adopted for healthy teeth. There are many other steps to be taken to care for your teeth. It is your responsibility to learn about the rest of the measures and put them into practice to avoid consequences in the future. In case you notice dental issues when it is too late, Bay Premier dentistry has got your back. Our family cosmetic dentist in Tampa will skillfully restore your smile.

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