Keeping our teeth and gums healthy is imperative. Dental health is more than just having a pearly white smile. It has been linked to heart health, blood sugars and diabetes, and foetal health. Keeping our mouths happy and healthy is about keeping our bodies healthy too.
Our mouth might just be the part of our body that require the highest level of maintenance. All that brushing, flossing, using mouthwash, and regular check-ups. We sure care about our dental health. Yet, dental disease is among the most prevalent diseases around the world. The good news though is that it’s possibly the most preventable disease.
Typically, food is painted as the villain in dental health. With cartoon renditions of sugary and acidic foods and beverages running a muck in your mouth in toothpaste and chewing gum commercials. However, there are in fact a number of healthy or ‘neutralising’ foods that will give your dental health (and your body’s health) an extra advantage! Simply eating foods that nourish your teeth and gums you can reduce plaque, prevent cavities and even avoid bad breath.
Calcium and Phosphorous: Two Magic Minerals
Calcium and phosphorous are the mineral foundations of enamel, and teeth are basically just enamel. So, consuming foods that are full of the minerals that make enamel is basically a short cut to maintain strong healthy teeth.
Calcium Rich Foods
The first calcium rich foods that usually come to mind are dairy products. Dairy products are great, and many studies prove that a glass of milk after a sweet will help reduce the acidity level of your mouth. But, the best dairy product you can consume is actually cheese.
Cheese, specifically hard cheese, is not only jam packed with calcium, but it also requires chewing. Chewing encourages saliva production which is your body’s natural mouthwash, helping to wash away bacteria before is calls your mouth home.
Other Calcium rich foods include;
broccoli
tofu
almonds
fish
eggs
poultry
Phosphorous Rich Foods
Fish
soybeans /soybean products i.e. tofu and tempeh
pumpkin seeds
lentils
red meat
eggs
Crunchy Food
Just like the effects of hard cheese, crunchy foods promote saliva production. Of course by crunchy foods, we don’t mean chips and biscuits, it must be fresh vegetables, raw being the best.
The natural fibrous texture of raw vegetables means that not only are you producing saliva but your giving your teeth a mini brush each time you chew. The saliva in combination with the mini brush will help to combat the development of b
acteria and the build up of plaque.
The best crunchy foods:
carrots
celery
apples
cucumbers
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is, well, A+, just like calcium and phosphorus, vitamin A is essential in enamel production.
Vitamin A Rich Food
sweet potato
carrots
pumpkins
broccoli
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps the body form and maintain connective tissue, bones, skin, and blood vessels. This includes the connective tissues and blood vessels in your gums! Vitamin C can strengthen your gums blood vessels and reduce inflammation – essential keys in reducing gum sensitivity, and minimising suscep
tibility to periodontal disease causing bacteria.
Vitamin C Rich Foods
oranges
capsicums
strawberries
broccoli
kale
kiwi fruit
Nuts
Nuts, especially raw nuts, are a force to be reckoned with. Not only are they rich in calcium and phosphorus, but they’re a crunchy food too! The most beneficial nuts are brazil nuts, cashews and almond.
Tea
It might come as a bit of a surprise that tea is in fact beneficial to your dental health. Recent studies have found a compound know as phosphorus is beneficial in preventing plaque sticking to your teeth. Both green and black tea have proven to contain high amounts of phosphorus. Tea is also known to contain fluoride which is recognised as improving teeth health. Unsurprisingly, sweetened tea, even if its honey, is going to discredit any of the benefits you may have initially had.
Onions
If you a fan of raw onions that you’ll be happy to hear that you’re doing your mouth a world of good. While raw onion is often associated with the socially awful ‘onion breath’, they’re actually full of antimicrobial properties. Raw onions are high in sulphur compounds which can kill a number of bacteria strains.
Prevention is always better than cure, so keep up the healthy diet, but don’t let your regular check-ups fall to the wayside. The team at Proactive Dental in Burpengary are always available for advice and help. Call or Book Online now to see one of our expert team members.