Taking care of your teeth through brushing and flossing is critical to your dental hygiene, but there are some foods that can also improve your oral health. In our newest blog, we will examine a few foods that are good for your teeth and mouth.
Ideally, you want to stay away from food that uses sugars, acid, and anything that is sticky. Sugar and acid feed the cavity forming plaque in your mouth, and it may attack your teeth even after you have finished eating!
To begin our list of foods that are good for your oral health, let’s look at cheese. Cheese, as we all know, is a great source of calcium. Cheese is also low in sugars and acid, making it an ideal choice for a healthy snack. It also includes a protein called “casein” which is found in milk and helps reinforce the surface of your teeth.
Sugarless gum is also a great alternative to gum containing sugar. Brands such as B-Fresh, Spry, and Trident all have an artificial sweetener called “xylitol.” It is important to know that not all sugar-free gum includes xylitol. Xylitol actually prevents bacteria from sticking to your teeth, helping fight against tooth decay. So if you love chewing gum, do your teeth a favor and make sure it includes xylitol.
Although not a food, tap water can help protect your teeth from cavities. Tap water, for the most part, has fluoride in it and fluoride is crucial in fighting cavities. It is important to note that anyone that is 16 years or older does not receive the benefits from digesting fluoride (though rinsing with it after brushing still helps), so this would be a good way for children to help protect their teeth.
Pears are another food that is not only healthy but good for your teeth! Pears are better than some other fruits when it comes to your teeth because pears have more of a neutralizing effect on acid.
Our last food on this list is Yogurt. Similar to cheese, yogurt includes casein, calcium, and phosphates which help remineralize your teeth.
Snacking does not need to involve unhealthy foods, there are many things you can fight hunger with that also aid in a healthy mouth.
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