How to Keep your Teeth Healthy

Brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and flossing on a daily basis are both essential for a healthy smile, but did you know that your diet plays a major role on your dental health too? Healthy teeth and gums are promoted by eating a range of nutrient-rich foods from all dietary categories. A well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, protein foods, grains, and dairy provides necessary elements for good oral and overall health. There are many beneficial habits to develop in order to keep your smile bright and beautiful, but don’t forget the tremendous cleansing capabilities of common meals.

15 Healthy Foods for your Teeth

The meals listed below are supercharged for your teeth, aiding in the development of healthy teeth and gums, as well as prevent gum disease and tooth decay.

Cheese

For those who enjoy a good cheese board, there’s good news: cheese is a superfood for your teeth because of its capacity to prevent acid erosion. Your teeth are exposed to tooth decay-causing acid every time you eat a meal that includes breads, sweets, citrus, or soda. Cheese, when eaten after a meal, can help to neutralize the acidity of the meal, making it an excellent dessert option. Soft cheeses like brie and camembert, as well as matured cheddars and blue cheeses like Roquefort, gorgonzola, and stilton, are all good for your teeth.

Chocolates

Yes, you read that correctly. Chocolate! As long as it contains at least 70% cacao and is consumed in moderation. Dark chocolate is a dental superfood because it includes a compound called CBH, which has been shown to help harden tooth enamel and reduce the possible risk of tooth decay. The good stuff is contained in the cocoa bean, not the chocolate itself, so choose dark chocolate and remember to rinse your teeth afterward. It’s best to avoid chocolate with nuts if you have braces. It’s also a good idea to keep your chocolate sweets at room temperature rather than in the fridge, as cold, hard chocolate can be difficult to chew.

Water

Water makes up 99.5 percent of saliva. Dehydration causes your saliva to thicken, wreaking havoc in your mouth. The breakdown of food, neutralization of bacterial acid which leads to the known morning breath, and prevention of tooth decay all require optimal levels of water in your saliva. While water isn’t as effective as a toothbrush and floss in removing plaque, it can help by rinsing away food particles. After drinking coffee or eating other staining meals, rinsing with water can assist to decrease tooth staining.

Fruits and Vegetables

If you don’t have a toothbrush with you, don’t worry. Fruits and vegetables high in fiber are your next best bet. Their high fiber content ‘scrubs’ the teeth in the same way as a toothbrush does, and the extra chewing they require encourages saliva production. Salad greens are packed with nutrients, and the high water content of crisp, juicy fruits and vegetables helps to balance out their sugar level. Keep fruits and veggies such as:

Fresh Carrots

Carrots are high in vitamin A, vitamin B6, biotin, and fiber, and are low in fat, making them perfect for snacking, soups, and roasting. They’re also good for teeth because of their tougher texture.

Celery

Celery, like carrots, has a rough texture that will act as a toothbrush for your teeth. This is because you’ll be munching on the healthy vegetable, which will cause your mouth to produce more saliva. Celery is high in vitamin C and antioxidants, which can aid gum health and inflammation prevention. Toss celery into your favorite soup recipe or eat it as a snack with peanut butter or cream cheese.

Leafy Greens

Similar to sugar-free sweets and gum, it takes a lot of chewing to break down fibrous leafy greens like spinach, lettuce, or kale, so eating them will produce more saliva, which will assist in naturally cleaning your teeth. Leafy greens are good for your general health and will keep your mouth in good shape.

Apples

Keeping an eye on your sugar intake, especially foods with added sugar, such as many desserts, can help safeguard your teeth. On the other hand, fruits contain just natural sugars. You still don’t want to eat too much sugar, but this fruit has the seal of approval from dentists. Apples have a fibrous texture that helps to dislodge food from your mouth.

Broccoli

Broccoli is an abrasive vegetable that removes plaque and other hard-to-remove items from between your teeth. Broccoli is a versatile vegetable that can be used in a variety of recipes or served as a side dish with your favorite meal, and it’s high in fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and potassium.

Strawberries

They are high in fiber, vitamin C, folate, and manganese, but they also contain malic acid, which whitens teeth naturally. Malic acid can also be present in a variety of other fruits, including apples.

Pineapples

Bromelain is a compound present in pineapple that has been demonstrated in research to have anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis properties. Fortunately, pineapples are high in antioxidants and vitamin C, both of which are beneficial to oral health.

You should keep the above fruits and veggies on hand at all times and your teeth will definitely thank you.

Fish

To protect your teeth and gums from illness, make sure you obtain adequate calcium in your diet. However, if you don’t get enough vitamin D, your body won’t be able to absorb all of that calcium. Vitamin D is abundant in fatty fish like salmon, allowing your teeth and gums to completely benefit from the disease-fighting effects of calcium in your diet.

Garlic and Onion

Garlic, on the other hand, might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re looking for a way to freshen up your breath. It, however, contains allicin, an antibacterial compound that can aid in the prevention of tooth decay and, in particular, periodontal disease. Perhaps not the best option for fresh breath again, but onions have strong antibacterial capabilities when consumed raw, notably against bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.

Oranges

Given that oranges are citrus fruit, this one may come as a surprise. Citrus, on the other hand, contains vitamin C, which strengthens blood vessels and connective tissue and, by lowering inflammation, inhibits the progression of gum disease. Make oranges, grapefruits, and other citrus fruits a regular fixture in your fruit bowl, but remember to wait at least half an hour after eating citrus fruits before cleaning your teeth.

Green Tea

Due to its powerful bacteria- and disease-fighting antioxidants, which have the ability to preserve teeth by preventing plaque from attaching to them, this therapeutic elixir has numerous research-backed advantages. Fluoride is commonly found in teas, which helps to prevent tooth decay and strengthen enamel. If green tea is too bitter for you, consider a milder black tea for similar tooth and gum protection.

Foods to Avoid for Healthy Teeth

You should avoid or limit specific types of meals that can hurt your teeth and gums in addition to eating nutritious foods. Among them are the following:

• Lollipops, taffy, mints, and caramel
• Soda, sports drinks, juice, lemonade, and sweetened tea or coffee
• Foods that are flaky, such as crackers and chips, as they have a tendency to stay between teeth.
• Sticky fruits can cause cavities; fresh fruit is a better option.
• You should only consume citrus fruits as part of a meal, and not on their own, due to their acidity.

Now that you Know…

More than merely avoiding cavities, good dental health entails taking care of the tissues, fibers, mineral-based surfaces, and bones that protect your teeth and keep them in place in your jaw. To stay strong and healthy, your mouth, like every other structure in your body, needs the proper amount of nutrition. Whole, nutrient-dense diets that are low in sugar and carbohydrates are necessary for good oral health. Following the USDA’s nutritional guidelines, which include recommended amounts of dairy, protein, grains, and fruits and vegetables, is a good general rule of thumb.