You have a crucial role to play in keeping your teeth healthy. One way to keep your teeth healthy is by adopting proper oral hygiene practices like brushing, flossing, scraping the tongue, or using antibacterial mouthwash. You can supplement your oral hygiene efforts by eating healthy foods that do not put you at risk of cavities and other dental issues.
Nutrients That Promote Healthy Teeth And Gums
Understanding the nutrients that promote healthy teeth and gums can help you choose the foods that contain these nutrients. Let’s look at the specific nutrients that you should consume for good oral health:
Calcium And Phosphorus
Your teeth' enamel withstands intense pressure, especially when you chew food, which could lead to eroded enamel. Enamel erosion could also result from consuming acidic foods and drinks. Calcium and phosphorus are excellent minerals that help restore eroded enamel. Eating foods rich in these minerals would be an excellent way to maintain healthy teeth.
Vitamin D
Despite being essential for your overall well-being, vitamin D is crucial in promoting healthy teeth. Vitamin D boosts mineral density and absorbs, carries, and deposits calcium into the bones supporting your teeth. It is a crucial vitamin that enables your body to absorb calcium. You can get this vitamin directly from the sun, dairy products, and fortified cereals.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a crucial nutrient that boosts your gum's health and strengthens the tooth enamel. Tooth enamel contains a protein known as keratin; vitamin A helps form keratin. Most foods rich in vitamin A are orange in color. Including these foods in your diet can strengthen the enamel.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C plays a crucial role in the production of collagen present in the dentin, making it a crucial vitamin for oral health. Vitamin C also significantly affects teeth repair, maintenance, and growth. Consuming foods rich in vitamin C is a great way to boost oral health.
Best Foods For Your Teeth
When it comes to the health of your teeth, your teeth are a product of what you eat. Sugary foods like sweets or fizzy drinks cause tooth decay. A less-than-ideal diet is highly associated with poor oral health. Here are some foods that can boost the health of your teeth and gums:
Cheese, Unsweetened Yoghurt, And Milk
If you are among the many people who enjoy eating cheese, you have another reason to love this tasty food. Cheese products raise the pH level in the mouth, lowering the risk of tooth decay. As you chew when eating cheese, you increase the saliva in your mouth. Cheese is also an excellent source of protein and calcium, nutrients that help strengthen the tooth enamel.
Yogurt is high in protein and calcium, making it an excellent meal for strong and healthy teeth. Yoghurt also contains probiotics (good bacteria). Probiotics benefit your gums when the good bacteria crowd out the harmful bacteria that cause dental cavities. If you decide to include yogurt in your diet, you should go for unsweetened, natural yogurt. Yogurts with added sugar could expose you to the harmful effects of sugary drinks.
Besides the old-fashioned fluoridated water, milk is an excellent drink for healthy teeth and gums. It contains calcium and other crucial elements. Like cheese, milk also lowers the acid levels in your mouth, helping fight tooth decay.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are included in almost every healthy food list, and for good reason. They are low in calories yet rich in great minerals and vitamins. Leafy greens like kale and greens promote your oral health. These vegetables are rich in calcium, which builds your teeth's enamel. Leafy greens also contain folic acid, a type of vitamin B that offers many healthy benefits, especially for pregnant women. Consuming foods rich in folic acid, especially during pregnancy, can help reduce the risk of gum disease. If you find it challenging to include leafy greens in your daily diet, include a handful of baby spinach in your salad or take some pales alongside that pizza. You could also include some greens when making a smoothie.
Apples And Pears
While it is advisable to avoid sugary foods, some exceptions exist. While fruits like apples are sweet, they are also rich in fiber and water. An apple a day will probably not keep the dentist away but will yield great oral health benefits. Eating apples helps your mouth produce saliva, which rinses food particles and bacteria from the mouth. When you eat, hard, fibrous fruits like apples and pears neutralize the malic and citric acids left in your mouth.
Sugary apple drinks can lead to tooth decay, but a fresh apple is less likely to cause problems. The fibrous nature of an apple also stimulates the gums. Eating an apple cannot be an alternative to brushing your teeth with fluoride-rich toothpaste. However, it can be a temporary remedy until you can brush your teeth. You could pack a whole apple or some pieces of fruit to give your mouth a fresh feeling after a meal. Unlike citric fruits, pears neutralize the acid in your mouth to prevent tooth decay.
Carrots, Celery, And Other Crunchy Veggies
Carrots, like apples, are crunchy and contain fiber. You can increase your saliva production by eating a handful of raw carrots after a meal. Consuming carrots regularly helps reduce the risk of dental cavities. Carrots are also an excellent source of vitamin A, in addition to being highly rich in fiber. Carrots also contain a lot of vitamin C, keratins, and calcium, which offer immense dental benefits. Enjoy some baby carrots, or top your salad with some raw carrots.
Celery has a bad reputation, and many people do not like it due to its pesky strings. However, like apples, celery serves like a toothbrush, removing food and bacteria from your mouth. Celery is more like nature's dental floss. Its fibrous and crunchy nature makes it an effective natural tooth cleaner. It is also an excellent source of vitamins A and C. These two antioxidants are excellent for giving your gums a boost now and then. You could make celery tastier by using cream cheese as a top dressing.
Most vegetables are great for the teeth because they require a lot of chewing, which helps clean the tooth surfaces.
Assorted Nuts
Nuts have many health benefits for your teeth and gums. Most nuts contain tons of crucial elements like phosphorus and calcium. Especially beneficial are cashew nuts, almonds, and Brazil nuts because they help fight the bacteria that cause tooth decay. For example, peanuts are a rich source of calcium. Cashew nuts are known to stimulate saliva production.
Almonds are a great addition to your diet because they are low in sugar but rich in calcium and protein. They contain everything from folic acid, fiber, thiamine, magnesium, iron, potassium, vitamin B6, and zinc. You can enjoy some almonds alongside your lunch, add them to your salad, or stir-fry a handful for dinner.
Meats And Fatty Fish
Most meat contains some of the most crucial vitamins and minerals required for healthy teeth and gums. Chewing meat also enhances saliva production, which is good for the teeth. Saliva production is good since it reduces the acidity in your mouth and removes food particles, decreasing the risk of tooth decay. Red meat, especially organ meat, is particularly beneficial to oral health.
Fatty fish like salmon and tofu are also rich in phosphorus. Phosphorus is an important mineral that protects tooth enamel.
Cranberries And Raisins
Cranberries are rich in polyphenols, which have antioxidant properties. Fresh cranberries are effective in preventing plaque formation. However, you should be careful when consuming cranberries. Some packaged cranberries, usually the dried ones, have a lot of added sugars, which are not good for your teeth.
Most people have the perception that raising children leads to tooth decay and cavities. However, you would be surprised to know that raisins contain some components that help fight tooth decay. Raisins contain phytochemicals (antioxidants) known as oleanolic acid. Oleanolic acid inhibits the growth of the two common oral bacteria species: Porphyromonas gingivalis, responsible for causing periodontal disease, and Streptococcus mutans, which causes dental cavities.
The phytochemicals found in raisins hinder the growth of oral bacteria associated with gum disease and dental cavities.
Strawberries And Other Berries Rich In Vitamin C
Vitamin C is beneficial to the body because of its antioxidant properties. Vitamin C enhances the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body. These benefits also spill over to the teeth. The collagen in the tooth's dentine relies on vitamin C to maintain its strength and structure through continuous synthesis.
Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C and antioxidants. They are also a source of malic acid that whitens the teeth automatically. You can boost your oral health by ensuring that your diet is rich in vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C. In addition to strawberries, other ideal fruits include tomatoes, pineapples, cucumbers, and bell peppers.
Whole Grains
Processed carbohydrates can stick to your teeth, leading to the formation of dental cavities. However, this is not the case with whole grains. Brown rice, whole wheat bread, oatmeal, and whole grains are better and healthier choices. They contain complex carbohydrates, meaning that the harmful bacteria in your mouth will have less digestible foods available to them. In addition, whole grains also offer a wide range of other nutrients that help your teeth and gums stay healthy.
Garlic And Onions
Garlic is probably not your go-to delicacy if you are looking for fresh breath. However, garlic contains allicin, a substance with strong antimicrobial properties. Consuming garlic can help fight tooth decay and periodontal disease. Like garlic, onions will not give you fresh breath. However, when eaten raw, onions have strong antibacterial properties. They can help fight certain bacteria that cause dental cavities and gum disease.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes have sufficient vitamin A. Vitamin A plays an essential role in maintaining the mucous membrane and the soft tissues of your gums. Vitamin A is also crucial in maintaining the protein keratin. Keratin is an agent that enhances the formation of tooth enamel.
Kiwi Fruit
Kiwi fruits have a high concentration of vitamin C. Consuming vitamin C boosts your immunity because it enhances the production of blood cells that fight foreign microorganisms. Sufficient vitamin C prevents infections throughout the body, including tooth decay.
Eggs (Hard Or Soft-boiled)
Eggs are a great breakfast option and good for the teeth, provided you prepare them well. Eggs are common, given that they are affordable. Adding eggs to your diet should not be difficult. However, when preparing eggs, you must ensure that you do not saturate them with sodium and fatty butter. Preferably, you should avoid frying eggs. The easiest and healthiest way of cooking eggs is by boiling them, hard or soft, or poaching them. Ensure you do not overcook the eggs to retain the crucial nutrients, including vitamins K, D, and phosphorus. These minerals are all crucial to your dental health.
Sugar-Free Gum And Candy
You are probably surprised to learn that gum and candy made it to the list of healthy foods. These treats have some dental benefits. Healthy candies and chewing gum contain erythritol and xylitol. These are alcohol sugars that can help prevent tooth decay by inhibiting the growth of bacteria on the tooth enamel. They help to prevent plaque buildup. Chewing gum also enhances saliva production, which dislodges the food particles stuck in your teeth. Just ensure that the gum or candy you choose does not contain added sugar because this could do more harm to your teeth.
Green Tea
There are many benefits to consuming green tea. Green tea contains polyphenols that inhibit the development of dental caries and periodontitis, reduce gum inflammation, and prevent bad breath. Green tea is also known to remineralize the enamel. Compared to black tea, green tea contains more catechins and antioxidants than black tea, making it a healthy option for your mouth.
Find An Experienced Dentist Near Me
If you have been experiencing dental issues, your diet could be to blame for some of your dental woes. Healthy eating can improve oral health, especially with dental care practices like brushing, flossing, and alcohol-free mouthwash. At Northridge Advanced Dentistry, our experienced dentists can discuss how changing your diet can result in healthy teeth. Contact us at 818-701-3010 to speak to one of our dentists.
