Your oral health can be highly affected by your dietary habits and choice of foods. Learn which foods help maintain your teeth hygiene for healthy teeth here. Did you know that your diet can affect how healthy and strong your teeth are? In fact, foods rich in water, minerals, fiber, whole-grains, and vitamins help clear bacteria and acid from your mouth – preventing tooth decay and gum disease and other teeth hygiene issues. Learn more about what foods will help you maintain healthy teeth, smile and body with Dr. Cherif Massoud, founder and CEO of Basma.com.
Dairy products
It’s important to produce enough saliva to protect your teeth. Your saliva is a natural antiseptic that washes down the acid or bacteria that builds up in your mouth. Dairy products like yogurt, milk, and cheese help produce more saliva. Being rich in calcium and protein, dairy products also help keep your teeth strong. Just make sure to consume sugar-free dairy (i.e. yogurt). Starchy and sugary foods are breeding grounds for bacteria to build up, which can cause cavities or gum disease.
Crunchy vegetables like carrots and celeries
Crunchy and coarse vegetables rich in water are considered natural teeth cleaners. They stimulate saliva production, which washes down acid, bacteria, and food particles. Celeries and carrots, for example, have a very crunchy and fibrous texture. That makes them a natural flossing agent for healthy teeth. They’re also rich in vitamins A and C. In addition, carrots are rich in calcium and keratins that help fight cavities, among other things.
Leafy greens like lettuce and spinach
Leafy greens are some of the best foods for your teeth hygiene! They’re rich in minerals, calcium, vitamin B and folic acid. Just like carrots and celery, they also act as natural, healthy teeth cleaners and stimulate saliva production – protecting your teeth and enamel. Even more, they’re low in calories, so you can eat as many leafy greens as you want!
Apples and pears
Rich in fibre, apples and pears also act as natural teeth cleaners and saliva stimulators. This in turn can eliminate the citric and malic acids from food particles in your mouth. While apples and pears do contain sugar, their nutrient-rich and fibrous qualities overpower their sugary features. “[C]hewing the fibrous texture of apples stimulates your gums, further reducing cavity-causing bacteria and increasing saliva flow”, [2].
Nuts
Yes, nuts are packed with some wonderful nutrients that are great for you teeth hygiene. They’re rich sources of calcium and phosphorus. Almonds, cashews, and Brazil nuts in particular have anti-bacterial qualities that help fight tooth decay. On another hand, walnuts contain calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, magnesium, folic acid, vitamins E and B6 – and the list goes on!
Including those foods in your daily diet will significantly boost your oral health and give your teeth the strength they deserve.