It is no secret that receiving regular oral examinations is just as important as getting yearly physicals from your medical doctor. There is no replacement for the diagnostic and preventive maintenance services of a dentist. Nevertheless, you can supplement the benefits of your oral care visits by eating tooth-friendly foods.
Cheese
Just as exposing your teeth to sugary foods can lead to decay, making cheese a part of your diet can help to prevent it. That’s because when you eat cheese, the salivation and PH levels in your mouth are increased, creating an environment that is averse to decay. In addition, cheese contains enamel-strengthening calcium and protein. When your enamel is hard and healthy, bacteria have a hard time infiltrating the tooth to cause cavities.
Yogurt
Another food that is high in protein and calcium is yogurt. When you choose a sugar-free variety that contains active cultures, you will be ingesting “good” probiotic bacteria that benefit your gums by crowding out the bad germs. Your digestive system will love it, too.
Leafy Green Vegetables
Making colorful veggies such as kale, spinach and Swiss chard part of your daily healthy diet is something that any doctor would endorse, and that includes your dentist. In terms of your oral health, these greens are high in calcium, promoting hard enamel. What’s more, they contain folic acid, a type of vitamin B that is thought to contribute to healthy gums, particularly in pregnant women. If you have a difficult time incorporating enough leafy greens into your diet, consider combining them with fruit and yogurt to make a tooth-friendly and delicious smoothie.
Apples
You know the old saying about apples, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” While eating them regularly does not absolve you from having oral examinations from a dentist, crunching on these healthy fruits is a natural way to clean between your teeth. Eating these juicy, fibrous fruits leads to more salivation, which is your mouth’s way to cleanse itself.
Carrots
Another of nature’s toothbrushes, carrots, which are high in fiber and vitamin A, lead to salivation and help to clean between the teeth. Crunching on a few raw carrots at the end of a meal is the next best thing to brushing and flossing.
Salmon
We have already seen the importance of calcium for a healthy mouth. In itself, salmon is high in calcium as well as being delicious and packed with omega-3 fatty acids. What’s more, it is loaded with vitamin D, which helps your body to absorb and put the calcium to good use in your mouth and throughout the rest of your body.
Sesame Seeds
Believe it or not, sesame seeds are great for your teeth. First, they help to scrub away plaque as you chew. Second, they are high in calcium. Just be sure to floss away any seeds after eating.
Onions
You may need to chew on sugarless gum after ingesting these aromatic veggies, but it will be worth it. That’s because onions contain sulfur compounds that kill some of the nasty, decay-forming bacteria that live on the surfaces of your teeth.
The foods you put into your body have a powerful effect on your physical health. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that eating the right ones will also assist in strengthening enamel, helping your gums and minimizing tooth decay. That’s something that everyone can smile about.