Maintaining a healthy diet benefits your body, teeth, and gums. Your daily food choices play a significant role in preventing tooth decay and gum disease, and as such, understanding how your diet can affect your oral hygiene and dental health is essential. Let’s explore a tooth-friendly diet and identify the best and worst choices for optimal oral hygiene.
Fruits & Vegetables
Regarding promoting dental health, fruits and vegetables, mainly fibre-rich, are your allies. The American Dental Association (ADA) emphasises these food groups’ role in keeping teeth and gums clean. Foods which stimulate saliva production and help neutralise acids and enzymes attacking your teeth.
The Best: Include a variety of fibre-rich fruits and vegetables in your diet. Apples, carrots, and celery are excellent choices, promoting saliva production and natural teeth cleaning.
The Worst: Beware of sticky fruits like raisins and dried fruits that can adhere to your teeth, providing a feast for bacteria and contributing to plaque buildup. Be mindful that extra attention must be paid to maintaining oral hygiene if your diet involves regularly eating these types of fruits.
Dairy Products
Dairy products, including cheese, milk, and yoghurt, offer more than a tasty snack – they contribute to your dental well-being.
The Best: Cheese is a saliva maker that aids in neutralising acids, and the calcium and phosphates in dairy products help restore minerals to your teeth, supporting enamel strength.
The Worst: Be cautious with high-sugar yoghurts and flavoured milk, as the added sugars can counteract the positive effects of dairy.
Fluoride-based Food Items
Fluoride is vital in preventing tooth decay, and incorporating fluoride-based foods into your diet can enhance your dental defence.
The Best: Opt for fluoridated drinking water, powdered juices with minimal sugar, dehydrated soups, and commercially prepared foods like poultry and seafood, which contribute to fluoride intake.
The Worst: Avoid excessive consumption of sugary drinks and snacks, as the sugar content can outweigh the benefits of fluoride.
Are Teas Allowed?
Tea lovers can rejoice, as green and black teas have dental benefits. These teas contain polyphenols that interact with plaque bacteria, hindering bacterial growth and acid production.
Additionally, depending on the water used, a cup of tea can serve as a source of fluoride. However, be mindful of adding excessive sugar or acidic additives to your tea, as this can counteract its positive effects on oral health.
What Shouldn’t You Touch?
Certain foods and habits can pose a threat to your dental health and should be approached with caution.
Sticky candies and sweets: Lollipops, caramels, and other sticky sweets with refined sugar can linger in your mouth, providing a breeding ground for bacteria.
Starchy Foods that get stuck: Soft bread and potato chips tend to get trapped between teeth, contributing to plaque buildup.
Carbonated Soft Drinks: Carbonated soft drinks are a significant concern for dental health, high in sugar and containing acids that erode tooth enamel.
Substances that Dry Out the Mouth: Alcohol and certain medications can contribute to dry mouth, increasing the risk of tooth decay.
Dental Tips
In addition to making wise food choices, following these dental tips can further enhance your oral hygiene:
- Eat Sugary Foods with Meals: Consuming sugary foods during meals stimulates saliva production, mitigating the effects of acid on your teeth.
- Limit Between-Meal Snacks: If you snack, choose nutritious options and consider chewing sugarless gum afterwards to increase saliva flow.
- Drink Fluoridated Water: Choose water with fluoride to help prevent tooth decay. Check the label if you opt for bottled water.
- Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits: Brush your teeth twice daily and floss once daily to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Remember, a tooth-friendly diet involves making informed choices supporting dental health. By incorporating the right foods and habits into your daily routine, you can contribute to a radiant smile and optimal oral hygiene.
Contact us for an appointment
Dentistry done the right way requires modern tools, a keen understanding of how to use them, and, above all else, care for your comfort and individual health requirements. We offer an extensive treatment programme that far outpaces other practices in the market.
Contact us at 012 492 7094 for professional dentistry and a client-centric approach to your oral hygiene, or visit our website: https://www.montanadental.co.za/contact-us/.
Resources:
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=4062