Is Your Nutrition the Problem to Poor Dental Health?
Did you know that nutrition plays a large role in your dental health? While brushing and flossing daily is needed to have a healthy smile, what we are eating everyday can either help or damage our smile. High sugar foods or starchy foods help feed the harmful bacteria that can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Some foods can help prevent plaque buildup while others will feed the bacteria. Even with a maintained dental hygiene routine it can be difficult to keep your dental health in top shape! Grow your knowledge on what foods can help fight plaque and future dental diseases.
The Good Foods for Your Teeth
Watermelon
Watermelon contains 90% water, which is great for your dental health! Fruits and Vegetables that contain high amounts of water are very beneficial because the water helps flush harmful bacteria that was sitting in your mouth. Watermelon is also a fruit that has very low sugar even though it tastes so sweet!
Cheese
Cheese is a great food for our dental health, it is high in calcium and casein. Casein is a protein that helps protect our teeth by strengthening our tooth enamel! Chewing cheese also helps produce saliva which can flush away the harmful bacteria.
Crunchy Vegetables
Many crunchy vegetables such as carrots and celery contain high amounts of water. Eating celery can help scrub away food particles and other bacteria that has formed on your teeth. Vegetables are also high in important minerals and vitamins that benefit dental health.
Apples and Pears
Apples are high fibrous fruits that increase saliva production and neutralize acids left behind. Apples are a great alternative to look for when you’re craving something sweet! A raw pear can help neutralize the acid in your mouth that would contribute to tooth decay.
The Bad Foods for Your Teeth
Sticky Candy
We’ve always been told to watch how many sweets we were consuming, and it’s a no-brainer! Sugary candies and sweets can damage your teeth. Try to avoid candies that remain in your mouth for a long period of time such as lollipops or caramels. These make it harder for saliva to wash away the sugar left behind. If you do want to indulge in some sweets, try eating them after main meals or brushing your teeth after eating anything sweet.
Starchy Foods
Starchy foods such as soft bread or potato chips can be damaging to your dental health. When bread is being chewed, the starches are actually being broken down into sugar. This chewed bread can stick to your teeth or in between them, which can cause damage such as cavities. Next time you enter your grocery store look for bread that is less-refined which will contain less added sugar than other bread.
Alcohol
Did you know that you actually dry out your mouth while you’re consuming alcoholic beverages? A dry mouth is lacking saliva which is necessary to protect your teeth. This saliva helps by washing away any food or bacteria in the mouth. Additionally, wine can cause stains to the surface of your teeth but brushing prior to drinking and 30 minutes after can help remove stains
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