Admit it or not, we all love eating food. It’s one of the little joys we have in life. People eat to celebrate. Some eat when their stressed while others eat when they are sad. Whatever the case may be, food always helps us relax and enjoy life.
However, what we sometimes forget is that while we want to enjoy eating all the best food in the world, we must also learn to take care of our teeth. Otherwise, cavities and other oral issues can set in, and eating wouldn’t be so much of an enjoyment anymore.
We learn the standard ways on how to prevent cavities and keep your teeth healthy. For instance, one of the most common and surefire ways is to brush your teeth two times a day. Flossing your teeth and rinsing with a therapeutic mouthwash can also help greatly. Further, the American Dental Association recommends that you visit a dentist once a year to get your teeth examined and cleaned. Aside from these, there is another simple and easy cavity prevention habit that you can apply in your everyday life, and that is carefully choosing the food you eat and avoiding the ones that can cause cavities.
Best Foods for Your Teeth
Different Types of Vegetables
Vegetables always make it onto the healthy list. This is because most of them contain vitamins and minerals that are good for your oral health. Green, leafy vegetables are high in calcium, helping build your teeth’s enamel. Carrots, on the other hand, are crunchy and full of fiber, which increases saliva production in the mouth. Saliva is your mouth’s best natural cavity prevention mechanism, given that it reduces the effects of acids and enzymes attacking your teeth, and it even restores minerals to areas of the teeth that had lost them to bacteria.
Cheese, Milk, and Other Dairy Products
Cheese and dairy products are also rich in calcium, which helps strengthen your teeth’s enamel. Further, the chewing required to eat cheese increases saliva production, which helps lower the risk of tooth decay.
Apples
While most experts advise against eating sweet foods, apples are an exception given that they are high in fiber and water. Eating apples also increases the saliva in the mouth, which helps in rinsing away bacteria and food particles. Apples also have a fibrous texture that stimulates the gums.
Foods Rich in Fluoride
Fluoride is an important part of cavity prevention. It is usually the main active ingredient in toothpaste, as it helps strengthen your teeth and prevent tooth decay. Luckily, you can get fluoride outside of brushing your teeth. Drinks like fluoridated water and fruit juices that do not contain too much sugar are a good source of fluoride. Poultry, seafood, powdered cereals, and raisins also contain traces of fluoride.
Green and Black Tea
These types of tea may contain polyphenols that either kill or repel bacteria, preventing them from growing and releasing acids that could damage your teeth. Depending on what type of water you used to prepare your tea, it could also be a source of fluoride.
Foods Rich in Vitamin C
You probably have an idea which food these are. These include citrus fruits and other fruits like strawberries, tomatoes, sweet and white potatoes, and a lot more. Vitamin C helps in strengthening the gums and soft tissues in the mouth. It protects against gum disease and prevents the loosening of your teeth.
Remember the phrase, “you are what you eat”? Well, this is also true for your oral healthcare, especially for your teeth. What you eat can easily damage your teeth, and eating food that’s unhealthy for them could destroy them in the long term. Remember to avoid these types of foods.
Number 1 on this list are sweet foods, which contain too much sugar. Sugar molecules combine with bacteria, which leads to plaque formation on teeth. Do not ignore your teeth until they are damaged, as this could lead to the need for more complex and expensive procedures.
To know more about how to take care of your teeth and what types of food may be harmful to them, visit Sunrise Dentistry and get advice from our holistic dentist in Durango, CO!
