You probably already know which types of foods and snacks are bad for your teeth. Many of them are the same ones that a nutritionist would warn you away from for reasons of overall body health: foods and drink with empty calories like colas, snacking foods like chips, and sugary foods like sweets, cookies, etc. These not only lack any nutritional value, but they increase the bacteria in your mouth and lead to tooth decay because of all the sugar they contain.
The foods that are an actual benefit for dental health you may not know about. You can guess that anything with high amounts of calcium will top the list, and you would be right. Milk, cheese, plain yogurt, leafy greens, and almonds are some of the foods that are helpful to tooth health and hardness because of their high calcium. Protein is another big factor in dental health from meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. These are all good sources of phosphorus. Both calcium and phosphorus play a vital role in strengthening and rebuilding tooth enamel.
Whole fruits, although they contain high amounts of sugar, are OK because of their high water and fiber content. When ingested this helpful combination balances out the sugar. Concentrations of fruit where the fiber has been removed and the sugar is not as diluted with water, as in most fruit juices, are problematic and should be enjoyed less frequently.
Just like your Mother told you, all vegetables are good to eat. There isn’t really a bad one in the bunch. Although, some of the more acidic ones, like tomatoes, should be consumed with other things in order to dilute and wash away the acids from the teeth. Everything you put in your mouth will increase saliva flow which helps to wash detrimental particles and acids from the teeth. These are all good things.
The absolute best thing to put down your throat? Water–fluoridated, of course!
If you’d like more information about oral health, call our team at [practice_name]. Make an appointment at: [phone], or come by our office in [city], [state].
Call our Bastrop and Pflugerville, TX, dental office to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.