5 Foods that Promote Oral Health

An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but what about the dentist? First of all, you don’t want to keep the dentist at Allure Dental Care of Maple Lawn away, since regular dental exams keep your oral health on track before problems start. But as it turns out, apples are good for your teeth along with other fresh fruit. Though they’re full of natural sugars, the fiber and water in fruit make all the difference.

High fiber fruits and vegetables

The medical center at the University of Rochester in New York crowns fiber-rich fruits and vegetables as the best foods for your teeth. The American Dental Association agrees. Fiber from these foods stimulates saliva flow while keeping teeth and gums clean. Your saliva isn’t only there to moisten food. It neutralizes acids and sugars in your mouth while restoring calcium and other minerals to your teeth, partly compensating for losses to acid erosion. Combine the positive effects on oral health with the benefits to the rest of your body, and it’s easy to understand why fresh fruits and vegetables are nature’s superfoods, even before considering how good they taste!

Plaque-busting teas

Both green and black teas carry polyphenols. These naturally occurring chemicals kill or restrain the bacteria formed by dental plaque. Reducing mouth bacteria also reduces the acids they produce, protecting your tooth enamel against decay. Using water that’s supplemented with fluoride to make your tea adds another layer of enamel protection.

Calcium-rich dairy

Salty cheese is another food that turns on your saliva taps. Dairy foods such as cheeses, milk, yogurt, and more score high on the calcium scale. Non-cheese dairy foods are also rich with phosphates. While calcium provides the jawbone strength needed to hold teeth in place, phosphorus works with calcium for maximum bone strength. Dairy foods also assist in the maintenance of tooth enamel.

Supplemental fluoride

Speaking of fluoride, it’s not only available in your toothpaste. Many municipalities supplement the water supply with fluoride, a safe and natural way to prevent cavities. Dehydrated soups and powdered drinks also supply fluoride but beware of the sugar content in juices. You can also get a fluoride boost with commercially prepared poultry, seafood, and powdered cereals.

Sugar-free chewing gum

That chewing gum appears on this list testifies to the positive effects of saliva production. As long as your gum has no sugar, your mouth benefits from this breath-freshening habit. Chewing gum after eating helps clear your teeth of food particles when brushing your teeth isn’t convenient. Once again, the presence of saliva keeps bacteria levels under control while remineralizing your teeth.

Good nutrition provides so many health benefits that it simply makes sense when you consider your overall wellness. Making smart choices about your foods and the way you prepare them contributes to many aspects of your health.

Stay on top of your oral health with consistent and daily oral health care supplemented with regular appointments at Allure Dental Care of Maple Lawn. Contact the office to schedule your dental exam or use the online tool to request an appointment. Until then, eat well and stay healthy.