Brush regularly, floss, and limit your sugar intake. If you had a dollar for every time you heard that! That’s not all there is to healthy gums and teeth. The food you eat and the beverages you drink play a big role. No food or drink can replace the need to maintain proper oral hygiene. However, there are some foods you won’t believe are healthy for your teeth. Here is a concise list of them from the experts.
Salmon contains lots of Vitamin D. This is essential to proper oral health. The body absorbs and uses calcium better due to it. Salmon contains lots of calcium as well, making it the perfect meal to maintain healthy gums and teeth.
If it’s sugar free, gum can be good for your teeth. Of course, we don’t recommend swallowing it. The reason it’s good is that it makes the mouth produce saliva faster. This is effective in rinsing away damaging acids. Don’t go overboard with chewing gum because it can weaken the teeth.
Some dentists say eating carrot sticks is like brushing your teeth. The chewing is like a massage for the gums. Carrots help fight cavities. Their bright orange color comes from healthy keratin. The vegetable contains a lot of Vitamin A, which is important because it makes tooth enamel stronger. Carrots are the best snack between meals.
Another great, healthy snack or breakfast is yogurt. Of course, it should be unsweetened and natural. It contains calcium and casein for maximum benefit. Both of these minerals help repair damaged enamel. Talk about a free cure!
While not perfect for your kidneys, it is amazing for your teeth. Cheese has a lot of calcium and phosphate, which naturally strengthen bones and teeth. Cheese helps balance your mouth’s pH level. This means fewer cavities and more saliva. The acid will not be a risk.
How can strawberries be good for your teeth? They are acidic, sweet, and leave red stains everywhere! The truth is that this fruit protects your teeth from staining. It contains a natural whitener called malic acid. Always floss after eating strawberries. Their seeds tend to stick between people’s teeth, especially if you have gaps.
Another big surprise! These seeds are good for your teeth. You can eat them on their own, with salad in sauce, or baked into a dish. They are high in calcium. They remove plaque as you chew. Heed our warning about seeds above. These tend to get caught between teeth, like strawberry seeds.
Eating this vegetable is equivalent to your teeth hitting the gym. As you chew it, it massages your gums and cleans your teeth. You generate a lot of saliva in the process, which fights bacteria.
Onions are all-round good for people. Well, not onion rings, but you get the point. The reason onions smell the way they do is because they contain sulfur. This antibacterial compound will destroy each and every single bacterium in its path. After you eat onion, brush your teeth or chew a stick of gum.
Dentists advise against foods high in acid, like apples. The acid works both ways. It can weaken enamel and neutralize bad acid. The natural sugars in apples keep your mouth clean. You produce more saliva when you chew them. Apples are full of great vitamins, ensuring gum health.
What Else is Healthy for Your Teeth?
No food that’s healthy for your teeth can substitute a dental visit. Has it been a while? Advanced Family Dental & Orthodontics of Mt. Olive offers the latest in prevention. Give us a call today!