Healthy Foods for your Teeth and Gums

Dec

Brushing and flossing your teeth daily is essential in maintaining your dental health, but are you aware that the food you eat also affects your oral health?

Including a variety of nutrient-rich food in your daily diet will go a long way in promoting excellent oral health. When your diet includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, proteins, dairy products, and grains, your body will derive enough nutrients from maintaining excellent oral and overall general health.

Like your general health, oral health requires essential minerals and vitamins to stay healthy and strong. Eating a healthy and nutritious meal does not mean you stop enjoying your treats; all you need to do is take them in moderation. Dental health is an integral part of your overall general health. Ensure you obtain all the essential nutrients from your diet, including the following nutrient-rich food in your meals.

Include Cheese in Your Diet

You should include cheese in your diet as your body, especially your teeth, will significantly benefit from its nutrients. Some of the benefits of consuming cheese in your diet include the following:

High Levels Of Calcium

Cheese contains high calcium levels, essential in maintaining your teeth's bone density, ensuring you have strong and healthy teeth.

High Levels Of Casein

Casein protein will help fortify your teeth's enamel. A fortified enamel can fight cavities resulting in strong and healthy teeth.

High Levels Of Phosphate

High Phosphate levels will help your oral health by balancing your mouth's pH level, which will go a long way in preserving your teeth' enamel.

Additionally, chewing cheese helps in the stimulation and production of saliva in your mouth. When your mouth produces saliva, this saliva will help in cleaning or washing away any leftover food particles and reduces the chances of plaque buildup in your mouth and bad breath. Also, saliva helps fight dry mouth, which some medications can bring about.

Drink A Glass Of Milk

Drinking milk regularly will help your oral health as milk is rich in calcium, which will help your teeth' bone density and lower your mouth's acid level, and in turn, help fight bacteria from thriving in your mouth.

Supplement Your Diet With Yogurt

Yogurt, like milk and cheese, contains high calcium levels. It also contains probiotics which help your oral health by fighting tooth decay, gum disease, and foul odor.

Green Leafy Vegetables

Leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, asparagus, cabbage, lettuce, and chard are some vegetables that are included in your diet and help maintain healthy and strong teeth. Other vegetables like broccoli play an essential role in dental health as they act as teeth cleaners. Some of the benefits that you will have include the following:

Antioxidants. Most leafy vegetables contain antioxidants that help in the protection against toxins, allowing your mouth to recover quickly after an injury.
Disease suppression. Regular consumption of cabbage will result in disease suppression.
Lower blood pressure. When you frequently include chard in your diet, it will help lower your blood pressure.
Anthocyanins. Another advantage of taking leafy vegetables is that they help in the storage of anthocyanins which help to keep bacteria and other pathogens away, ensuring you have strong teeth and gum tissue.
Calcium. Green leafy vegetables produce high levels of calcium, which help build and maintain your tooth enamel.
Magnesium. Most leafy vegetables will produce magnesium, promoting oral health by preventing tooth cavities.
Rich sources of vitamins A, C, E, and K. Your mouth will benefit from these vitamins as they help protect your gum soft tissues, maintain teeth development, reduce inflammation, and promote blood clotting after an injury.
Phosphorus. Vegetables will produce phosphorus which is essential in rebuilding your tooth enamel.
Folic Acid. The production of folic acid by regularly consuming vegetables in your diet will help promote oral health.
Wash away leftover food particles. Chewing crunchy leafy vegetables in sandwiches and salads will help wash away leftover food particles from your mouth. Washing away leftover food particles will help prevent tooth decay and promote fresh breath.

Regular Drinking of Fluoridated Water

Since 60% of your body is made up of water, drinking regular water will help your body significantly. Drinking water will:

Keep your body hydrated.
Help it in the distribution of nutrients.
Help in waste removal.
Make your skin glow.
Help in the movement of muscles.

When you drink fluoridated water, you will help keep your teeth healthy, as fluorine helps in fighting cavities. There are other benefits that you will reap from drinking, and they include:

Strengthening Your Teeth

Since fluoride is a natural cavity fighter, drinking fluoridated water will help fight the cavity. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, you can get fluoride from tap water. Fluoride will strengthen your teeth as your enamel will not be prone to tooth decay and cavity. As the American Dental Association and American Medical Association endorse the process, you do not have to worry about tap water fluoridation.

Water fluoridation is very effective in fighting cavities in America, as studies show that for every dollar used in the process, it will help save more than $38 in dental treatments.

Washes Away Leftover Food Particles

Drinking water after meals will help clean any leftover food particles lodged between teeth and help fight bad breath, cavities, and gum diseases. You will notice that when you have food particles between your teeth, they will help bacteria thrive in your mouth. This bacteria will produce acid by breaking down sugars left or lodged in your teeth, tongue, and gums.

Once the bacteria break down the leftover food particles into acid, it will erode your teeth' enamel, weakening it and making it prone to tooth decay. Additionally, drinking water helps dilute an acid produced by the bacteria in your mouth, minimizing the risk of tooth decay.

It Helps Avoid Dry Mouth

Saliva plays a crucial role in fighting a dry mouth, but did you know that over 99% of saliva contains water? Insufficient saliva in your mouth will lead to a condition known as dry mouth, which makes chewing and swallowing challenges. Sufficient saliva in your mouth helps fight tooth decay and bad odor.

Additionally, saliva helps wash away any leftover food particles and helps in keeping your teeth stronger. Drinking fluoridated water regularly will help produce saliva, preventing you from suffering the effects of a dry mouth.

Drinking Contains No Sugar

You will realize that there is an increase in sugary drinks consumption, which contributes greatly to the rising number of obesity cases in the United States. Water contains no sugars or calories, making it one of the few healthy drinks.

Eating Crunchy Carrots and Celery

Including carrots and celery in your diet will go a long way in ensuring you have excellent dental health. Since both carrots and celery require you to chew, they help dislodge any leftover food particles and clean your tooth surface. These crunchy vegetables also contain many vitamins and minerals essential for optimum oral health. Additionally, celery and carrots are natural teeth cleaners as they have a lot of water and help stimulate saliva in your mouth. Celery is a natural dental floss, and its crunchy texture makes it an effective mouth cleanser.

Carrots contain vitamin C, keratins, and calcium which will help strengthen your teeth enamel. A strong enamel will reduce the risk of cavity formation and, at the same time, promote strong gums. You will not have to worry about bad breath when you include carrots and celery in your diet. You can also take them as snacks between meals.

Include Pears and Apples in Your Diet

Pears and apples are hard fruits that contain a lot of fiber and help your dental health in several ways. Chewing on these hard fruits helps produce saliva in your mouth. Sufficient saliva will neutralize any acid produced by bacteria in your mouth and stop plaque buildup. Taking an apple or pear after a meal is beneficial as it will help stimulate alkaline saliva, which will neutralize any acidity after your meal.

Take Some Nuts as Snacks

Nuts are healthy and will benefit oral health as they contain important minerals like phosphorus and calcium.

Peanuts

Including peanuts in your diet will ensure that you have strong and healthy teeth, as they are a great source of Vitamin D and calcium. Apart from chewing, you can take peanuts in your sandwiches or add butter to your food.

Almonds

One benefit of eating almonds is that they are a good source of high calcium levels, improving oral health. Calcium helps your dental health fight cavities by strengthening your bone density and nourishing your gums. According to recent studies, regularly consuming 12-15 almonds ensures your body gains about 50 mg of calcium.

Cashews

Cashew nuts help in saliva stimulation, significantly promoting oral health. Cheating cashew nuts will increase saliva production in your mouth and help neutralize the bacteria that lead to tooth decay. Your gum will also benefit from chewing cashew nuts as the abrasive chewing will massage our gums and help clean the tight spaces between the teeth.

Walnuts contain folic acid, fiber, iron, magnesium, niacin, vitamins B6 and E, zinc, potassium, and thiamine which play an essential role in your dental health.

Meats, Plant-Based Protein, and Fatty Fish

Red meat includes pork, goat, beef, venison, lamb, veal, mutton, and other processed meat from land mammals that are usually red while raw. Plant-based protein, fish, and other types of protein will give you the following benefits when you include them in your meals.

Production of antioxidants. Red meat will help your oral health as it will help your body produce selenium, an antioxidant.
Iron and Zinc. Red meat is a great source of iron and zinc, which are beneficial to your oral health as they help reduce the risk of cavities, strengthen your teeth and ensure you have a bright smile. Although eating red meat alone can not guarantee strong teeth and gums, it ensures you have a bright and sunny smile.
Arginine. Red meats contain arginine, an amino acid that will help your oral health by breaking down biofilm that can lead to plaque formation. Arginine prevents tooth decay as it prevents bacteria from thriving in your mouth.
Phosphorus. When you take red meat, fatty fish, eggs, tofu, and plant-based protein like pumpkin seeds, you will derive phosphorus from these types of food. Phosphorus is crucial in promoting dental health, as it supports calcium absorption in your body, resulting in strong and healthy teeth. If you have a plaque build-up on your teeth, it will release an acid that will erode your enamel. Consuming foods with high phosphorus levels will help reverse the effects of demineralization. You will note that tooth enamel is one of the strongest substances in your body. However, constant wear and tear combined with poor dental habits will break the enamel once. Regular consumption of phosphorus-giving food will slow down the demineralization process and promote mineralization, leaving you with strong teeth.
Vitamin B12.Red meats are an excellent source of vitamin B12 which will promote your oral health as it maintains the health of your blood cells and nerves. Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that is essential to excellent oral health. When you have a vitamin B12 deficiency, you will be susceptible to tooth loss and gum diseases. Gum disease, known as periodontitis, is an infection that affects your gum and injures your soft tissues. Periodontitis can lead to bad breath and teeth loss if you do not treat it promptly.

Drinking Tea and Coffee

Studies show that drinking certain teas like green tea and black coffee help destroy plaque-causing bacteria in the mouth. Both coffee and tea act as an antibacterial against tooth-decaying bacteria in the mouth.

Whether you take roasted or unroasted coffee beans, you will still benefit from their antibacterial components that interfere with or hinder the production of bacteria in your mouth.

Tea, especially green tea, on the other hand, contains antioxidant properties as it contains catechins. Catechins are a natural antioxidant that helps reduce periodontal disease's effects. The antioxidants interfere with the inflammation caused by bacteria in the mouth resulting in immense relief from periodontal disease.

Fresh Raisins and Cranberries

When you include raisins in your diet, you will have stronger teeth as they help fight cavities. Raisins contain oleanolic acid, a photochemical that is an antioxidant. Oleanolic acid will interfere with the streptococcal mutant bacteria, which causes tooth decay, and with porphyromonas gingival bacteria, which is responsible for gum disease. Therefore, regular raisins will help suppress oral bacteria from thriving in your mouth, promoting oral health.

Cranberries, on the other hand, are rich in polyphenols which are antioxidants. This antioxidant helps your oral health by hindering the plaque formation process.

Berries

Most berries are rich in vitamin C, a great source of antioxidants. Vitamin C also plays a crucial role in your overall health as it promotes growth and helps repair your tissues after an injury. When it comes to dental health, vitamin C helps maintain your teeth' structure and strength through synthesis.

Some berries, like strawberries, contain malic acid, vitamin C, and antioxidants. Malic acid is essential as it will whiten your teeth naturally.

Kiwis

Eating kiwis regularly will leave you with improved resistance against tooth decay. Kiwi contains high levels of vitamin C, which helps in boosting your immunity.

Have A Healthy Serving Of Sweet Potatoes

Including sweet potatoes in your diet will ensure healthy teeth as sweet potatoes contain vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential to your dental health as it maintains the soft tissue and the mucous membrane surrounding your gums. Vitamin A helps in maintaining keratin which promotes enamel formation.

Take Raw Onions And Garlic Once In A While

Eating raw onion is not ideal for fresh breath, but it contains some antibacterial components that help fight bacteria. The antibacterial properties of onions will promote excellent oral health as they will fight tooth cavities and gum diseases.

When it comes to garlic, it contains antiviral and antifungal properties, which help fight cavities and gum diseases, promoting healthy gum and strong teeth.

Include Whole Grains Food in your Meals

Although most carbohydrates, especially simple carbohydrates, contribute significantly to tooth decay as they stick to your teeth and break down easily. However, this is not the case for whole grains, as they are complex carbohydrates, making it hard for bacteria to break down and thrive. Whole grain also offers other nutrients which are beneficial to your oral health.

Whole grains like brown rice, pasta, cereals, popcorn, oatmeal, and crackers are healthier choices as they are complex and contain minerals, vitamin B, magnesium, fiber, and iron which will keep your gum healthy. The magnesium will keep your teeth strong.

Start Taking Shiitake Mushrooms

Shiitake mushroom extracts have antimicrobial properties which help in fighting cavities. Research shows that this mushroom contains lentinan, which is essential in hindering the growth of bacteria in the mouth.

Shiitake mushrooms produce beneficial substances that can be used to improve dental health. This mushroom produces antioxidant agents, which will help prevent plaque formation, reducing tooth decay and periodontal diseases.

Contact An Experienced Whittier Dentist Near Me

Having excellent oral and overall health starts with a balanced diet. A well-balanced diet provides your body with the proper nutrients to function properly. You will also need to practice good oral habits like brushing after every meal, flossing daily, and visiting your dentist after every six months.

The Whittier Dentist has a team of qualified dental health specialists who will examine and advise you on the best food to promote your oral health. With our experience, you can rest assured that your oral health is in good hands. Contact us now at 562-632-1223 and schedule your appointment.