Top Foods For Your Teeth

Quite often we hear about the foods that are considered bad for your teeth. We know that citrus, sugary candy, pop, wine, coffee, and tea are just a few of the main foods and drinks that can be harmful to the enamel that protects your teeth from sensitivity. Do you know what foods you can incorporate into your diet to help improve your dental hygiene though? Here are some of the best foods you can treat yourself (and your mouth) to.

1. Cheese, yogurt, milk, and other things that are dairy enriched.

Eating dairy items like cheese, yogurt, and milk are extremely good for your teeth because they, like your bones, rely on nutrients such as calcium and protein to stay strong and maintain a good layer of enamel. Some even suggest that mere action of chewing cheese increases the pH in people’s mouths which in turn lowers the risk of having tooth decay.

2. Greens.

You know what your grandma always used to say: “Eat your greens so you can build strong teeth and have a healthy layer of enamel!”. It went something like that. Green-y foods are renowned for having overall healthy benefits for your body, and just like grandma says; they’re good for your teeth as well. Greens like spinach contain calcium which helps keep our enamel strong.

3. Apples, carrots, celery and other crunchy foods.

Apples, carrots, and other foods that take a lot of ‘crunching’ are actually very beneficial to having a brighter smile. The action of crunching on these types of foods will clear away bacteria that would have otherwise been stuck in your teeth. It’s similar to brushing your teeth, only that you’re brushing your teeth with food.

4. Gum – But only if it’s sugarless.

Chewing gum has similar benefits to crunchy foods. When you chew gum, it gets into areas of your teeth that would be generally left untouched until you brushed your teeth. When you chew gum it increases the amount of saliva in your mouth, which in turn compensates for acids in the mouth.

5. Cranberries.

Where cranberries may stain your clothes, they certainly don’t stain your smile. Cranberries contain what’s called polyphenols which keep plaque from being fixed to teeth.

6. Tea?

That’s right! While tea can indeed be harmful to your teeth, it can also be good. If you can simply avoid using cream or sugar in your teas, your teeth can benefit from drinking it. Tea can help prevent inflammation and the of gum disease with polyphenols, just like cranberries.

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7. Water.

This one should be very clear (see what we did there?). Water is the best beverage you could possibly have when trying to maintain a beautiful smile. Water naturally contains fluoride, which helps to prevent cavities and plaque build up. So drink up!

This is just a very short list of all the foods you can eat to manage your smile. If you’re unsure about certain foods, feel free to contact us or ask during your next appointment with us! We’re always happy to educate people on how they can improve their smiles.

Sources: Colgate, WebMD, Health, Livescience, Huffpost Living